TheGod on the Winged Wheel coin, referred to in Levantine numismatics as theBritish Museum drachma, is a 4th-century BCE silver coin attributed by scholars to theGaza mint, with adeity seated on awinged wheel. It is considered one of the most unique and enigmatic artifacts from theAbar-Nahara province of theAchaemenid Empire. Currently housed in theBritish Museum, with ID numberTC,p242.5.Pop,[1] the silver coin has sparked intense scholarly debate and has been reclassified several times since its first appearance in the literature in 1814. Its iconography, inscription, and uncertain provenance have prompted scholars to engage in a deep investigation of its origin and significance.
It was described in 1931 byStephen Herbert Langdon as "the only known representation" ofYahweh.[2] Other scholars hold that its iconography fits better withZeus.[3][4]
The drachma weighs 3.29 grams, and measures 15 millimeters in diameter.
The reverse side shows a seated bearded figure, holding a bird (possibly afalcon), and sitting on awinged wheel. Above the figure, threePhoenician letters are visible, which have been read variously as 𐤉𐤄𐤃 "YHD" (i.e.Yehud Medinata), 𐤉𐤄𐤅 "YHW" (i.e.Yahweh) or 𐤉𐤄𐤓 "YHR".[5]
The reverse figure has been described as a "God on the Winged Wheel". An early theory suggested that the figure might represent theYahweh, which would make this drachma a unique example of an anthropomorphic depiction of the Hebrew deity.[6][7] This interpretation is controversial given theaniconism in Judaism. Other archeological finds represent the symbol of Yahweh as awinged disk. Other scholars have proposed that the seated figure may represent asyncretic deity influenced by both Eastern and Greek traditions. The falcon and seated posture are reminiscent of depictions ofZeus, while the winged wheel may reflect the Persian iconography ofAhura Mazda.[8] A similar winged wheel depiction can be found in Hellenized Eastern art depictions ofTriptolemus, though he is depicted as a youth and not bearded.[9]
Shenkar notes that because of the coin's weight, which is notshekel weight, and the Achaemenid style, it is more likelySamarian, thanPhilistine orJudaean. He points out that theSamaritans identified Yahweh withZeus Hellenius and according toJosephus, were a colony of Persians and Medes.[10]
The obverse side is thethree-quarter profile of a bearded man wearing aCorinthian helmet. The identity of this figure has been the subject of much debate, with various suggestions ranging from aGreek god likeAres, to aPersian satrap or general, to a local Judean or Philistine figure. One possibility suggested byMeshorer was Bagoas the governor underArtaxerxes II, whileBarag instead suggested Bagoas the general underArtaxerxes III.[11][7]
ScholarGérard Nissim Amzallag, from theBen-Gurion University, has posited that Yahweh was originally portrayed as afire deity, associated with volcanic activity and metallurgy, and that the Winged God doesn't represent Zeus, butHephaestus (being his counterparts the EgyptianPtah, who was considered theCreator; the RomanVulcanus; the CretanVelchanos, etc.). Amzallag explains that Gods of metallurgy in the past (Bronze Age) were revered not only as the Gods of weapons but also Gods of creation.[12][13]
Amzallag also talks about how the dracma of the Winged God is similar to the vase painting of Hephaestus returning toOlympus, from his exile on the shores of theOceanus, riding a winged chariot-car or chair. The chair is decorated with the heads, wings and tail of a crane. The god carries a double-headed smith's mallet.[14]
The coin first came to scholarly attention in 1814, when it was included in a catalog of coins in the British Museum. Scholars attributed the coin's origin asGaza, but its precise provenance is unknown.[15]
When first published in 1814, the coin was described as bearingPhoenician text, largely due to its stylistic similarities with Phoenician coinage from cities such asTyre andSidon.[15] Early numismatists classified the coin asPhilisto-Arabian, based on its artistic affinities with coins fromPhilistia, a coastal region under Persian control.[16] Scholars noted that Philistine coinage from cities likeGaza andAshdod often incorporated Greek and Persian elements.[15][17] However, the three-letter inscription on the reverse remained a point of contention, as it did not align with typical Philisto-Arabian coinage. The most significant reclassification came in the 1930s when Israeli archaeologistEleazar Sukenik proposed that the letters were "YHD" and referred to the Persian province of Judea, shifting possible attribution of the coin to Judea.[18][7] This reading, along with the discovery of additional coins bearing the same inscription, led to the hypothesis that the drachma was the earliest known examples ofYehud coinage. Despite this reclassification, debate over the coin's exact origin continues, with some scholars suggesting that it could have been minted in neighboring regions such as Philistia orSamaria.[10][17]
Chemical analysis of the drachma has provided further insights into its origin.X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing revealed that the coin is composed of 93% silver and 6% copper, a composition consistent with other coins from Samaria and Philistia during the same period.[10] This metallurgical profile, combined with the coin's stylistic features, suggests that it may have been minted in Samaria or Philistia, rather than Judea.[10][19]