Visitors to The Fort Museum in Bahrain will notice in one of the corners a jar discovered in 1970 close to the north rampart, which contains approximately 310 silver tetradrachms, imitations of the official coinage of Alexander the Great used in the Seleucid Empire. 

These careful imitations were minted during the 2nd Century B.C. by a regional workshop, which has not been located with any certainly. Made up of two distinct types, all of these coins represent, on the front, Alexander portrayed as Hercules and on the reverse, a seated figure. Contrary to the Greek prototypes showing a bearded Zeus, the figure on the reverse side, beardless and rather juvenile in looks, represents Shame or Shamash, the principal divinity worshipped then in Eastern Arabia.

This exceptional monetary hoard makes up one of the most significant discoveries of Tylos phase Bahrain.

Friendship Arabia Team