12 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

409 silver coins, found in the Mleiha area of Sharjah, were inspired by Alexander the Great and the Seleucid dynasty

409 silver coins dating to the 3rd century have been found in the Mleiha area of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

The Sharjah Archaeology Authority announced on Wednesday that an ancient jar containing several silver coins going back to the third century BCE (Before Common Era) was recently discovered in Mleiha.

The coins of Mleiha were influenced by the coins of Alexander the Great and his Seleucid dynasty successors (Hellenistic state in Western Asia that existed from 312 to 63 BCE).

According to the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, the first issues of the minted coins depicted icons of the time, such as the head of Hercules (represented by Alexander the Great) and Zeus (the Greek god sitting on his throne), as well as the word ‘Alexander’ engraved in Greek script. With the passage of time, the engraving was replaced with the word ‘Abel’ written in Aramaic script.

The coins, minted and circulated in Mleiha, were inspired by the coins of Alexander the Great and his Seleucid dynasty successors.
The coins, minted and circulated in Mleiha, were inspired by the coins of Alexander the Great and his Seleucid dynasty successors.

The artifacts were first discovered by the local archaeological team in February 2021.

Dr. Sabah Aboud Jasim, Director-General of Sharjah Archaeology Authority, told Gulf News: “When this heavy pottery jar (weighing 9kg) was discovered, it was suspected that it would contain rare artifacts. Upon carefully opening the pot at the Sharjah Archaeology Authority laboratory, we found it completely filled with numerous silver coins of the drachma (ancient Greek currency unit) quad category or ‘tetradrachma’.

Dr. Jasim added: “There were a total of 409 coins in the jar, with each coin ranging in weight from 16 to 17 grams, and the currency material was silver.” There were 387 coins in single-sided moulds and 22 in two-sided moulds.

According to Sharjah Archaeology Authority, the first issues of the minted coins depicted icons of that period, including the head of Hercules (represented by Alexander the Great) and Zeus (the Greek god sitting on his throne), in addition to the word ‘Alexander’ engraved in Greek script.
According to Sharjah Archaeology Authority, the first issues of the minted coins depicted icons of that period, including the head of Hercules (represented by Alexander the Great) and Zeus (the Greek god sitting on his throne), in addition to the word ‘Alexander’ engraved in Greek script.

“Among the collection were coin designs that had been previously discovered throughout the Arabian Gulf region and also coin designs that were unique to this discovery at Mleiha. The current collection is considered to be more extensive than any other in the region” he added.

Mleiha is a Unesco-designated World Heritage Site in Sharjah that has a variety of notable monuments, such as Bronze Age tombs and pre-Islamic forts.

Mleiha was regarded as one of the most significant locations in the Arabian Peninsula during the pre-Islamic period. It became a significant trade center for convoys traveling between the north and south of the Arabian Peninsula in the early third century BCE.

A gravestone unearthed at Mleiha in the late third century BCE established the presence of the Oman Kingdom, and a study has revealed that Mleiha was most likely its capital at the time.

Related Articles

Burial of Ascetic Monk in Chains Reveals Surprising Identity: A Woman in Byzantine Jerusalem

15 February 2025

15 February 2025

A recent archaeological discovery near Jerusalem has challenged long-held beliefs about ascetic practices in the Byzantine era, revealing the remains...

Mustatil Structures in Arabia May Be 7,000-Year-Old Stone Remnants of Cattle Cult

1 May 2021

1 May 2021

Archaeologists examining the mustatil stone remains in the northwest of Arabia think that these stone remains may have been used...

Salvage Excavations Started in Giresun Island on Turkey’s Black Sea Coast

18 May 2021

18 May 2021

Rescue excavations are starting again on Giresun Island, where the first examples of human settlement in the Black Sea Region...

Was Stavanger Cathedral Built on a Viking Settlement?

4 June 2021

4 June 2021

Archaeologists have discovered animal bones and habitation evidence underneath the northern part of Stavanger cathedral that they believe date from...

Alexander the Great’s Sacred Purple Tunic Found in a 2,400-year-old Macedonian Tomb?

29 October 2024

29 October 2024

Archaeologists have found a sacred chiton (tunic) in a 2400-year-old royal tomb in the Macedonian city of Vergina in northern...

Archaeologists discovered the secret ingredient that made Mayan plaster durable

20 April 2023

20 April 2023

Ancient Mayan masons had their own secrets for making lime plasters, mortars, and plasters, which they used to build their...

Well-preserved 2,000-year-old Chime Bells (Bianzhong) discovered in China

3 September 2023

3 September 2023

A total of 24 well-preserved Chinese bianzhong (chime bells) in two sets from the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC)...

“Unprecedented” Phoenician necropolis found in southern Spain

28 April 2022

28 April 2022

A 4th or 5th-century B.C Phoenician necropolis has been found at Osuna in Southern Spain. A well-preserved underground limestone vault...

Unique Rock Tomb Discovered in Southeastern Türkiye’s Şanlıurfa

3 March 2025

3 March 2025

Hasan Şıldak, the governor of the city of Şanlıurfa in south-eastern Türkiye, announced on his social media account that a...

Manuscript Portal Brings Medieval Manuscripts from Greifswald Online

24 April 2024

24 April 2024

Greifswald’s oldest books can be accessed digitally via another new portal. The Manuscript Portal (HSP) is the central online portal...

Archaeologists discovered a sunken prehistoric fort in Clew Bay island

1 April 2024

1 April 2024

A sunken prehistoric fort has been discovered on Clew Bay island off the north Mayo coast, Ireland. It has been...

Hundreds Of Mummified Bees inside their Cocoons from the Time of the Pharaohs found in Portugal

25 August 2023

25 August 2023

Hundreds of mummified bees inside their cocoons have been found on the southwest coast of Portugal, in a new paleontological...

Ancient Herpes DNA Points to Oral Herpes’ Beginnings: First kisses may have helped spread cold sore virus

28 July 2022

28 July 2022

The ancient genomes of the herpes virus, which commonly causes lip sores and currently infects about 3.7 billion people worldwide,...

The Highest Prehistoric Petroglyphs in Europe Discovered at 3000 Meters in the Italian Alps

20 November 2024

20 November 2024

The highest petroglyphs in Europe were found at Pizzo Tresero (Valfurva) in the Stelvio National Park in the northern Italian...

Numerous Statue Fragments Unearthed at Lost Apollo Sanctuary in Cyprus!

29 April 2025

29 April 2025

The Sanctuary of Apollo at Frangissa, located near ancient Tamassos and lost for approximately 140 years, has been rediscovered through...