Where Were the Umayyad Menorah Fulūs Struck?

Abstract

One of the more intriguing Umayyad coin types features a candelabrum, mostly with five
branches. Because of their similarity to the Jewish menorah, these coins have attracted the
interest of scholars and collectors studying not only in Islamic numismatics, but also Jewish
and biblical coins. So far, most authors have assumed that these fulūs were struck in Jerusalem,
the spiritual center of Judaism. However, the analysis of 23 specimens with archaeological
provenances in the IAA collection does not support such an attribution. Rather, the mint seems
to have been located in the central or southern part of the coastal plain of present-day Israel. A
possible candidate is Ashqelon, although the evidence is not yet decisive.