Lot 1020 – Kushanas, Huvishka, c. 151-192, AV dinar, 7.83 g. Athsho

Kushanas, Huvishka, c. 151-192, AV dinar, 7.83 g. (20 mm). Obverse: Crowned and diademed half-length bust left, holding mace-scepter and hilt of sword, with Bactrian legend around. Reverse: Athsho standing, facing right, flames around his head and shoulder, holding blacksmith’s hammer over shoulder and pair of tongs, a tamgha on the right field, the Bactrian legend “AΘÞO” (Athsho) on the left field, a dotted border around the field. Very rare.

The god Athsho probably derives from the Zoroastrian deity ‘Atar’, the son of Ahura Mazda, and the personification of holy fire, indicated by the flames about Athsho’s head and shoulders. While recognized in Iran as a deity, who admitted or rejected souls in heaven, Athsho was most closely associated in western Mithraism with Hephaistos. The blacksmith’s hammer and tongs, symbols of Hephaistos, were also used as tools for igniting the holy fire and became symbols also of Asthsho.

About VF, with an attractive reverse showing good details on the Athsho figure.

Ex Chand Collection British Museum no 1.2.09