Dinar of Abu-Bakr bin Umar, Sijilmasah c. 11th century

Editor: Here we have a gold Dinar of Abu-Bakr bin Umar, struck in Sijilmasah. It's quite small. What can you tell us about the cultural importance of this coin? Curator: This coin reflects the political and economic landscape of its time. The inscriptions and the material itself, gold, underscore power and wealth. Think about who controlled its distribution and how that shaped social hierarchies. What do you think the holes on the sides might mean? Editor: Perhaps it was worn as jewelry? Did wearing coins indicate status? Curator: Precisely. It was about displaying allegiance and prosperity. The coin becomes a political statement, a wearable manifesto of sorts. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it as a political statement before, that’s fascinating! Curator: It's amazing how such a small object can reveal so much about a society's values and power structures.