★ Anahita or a male divinity? ★

ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. al-Walid I ibn 'Abd al-Malik, AH 86-96 / AD 705-715. Pashiz (Bronze, 14 mm, 0.22 g, 3 h), anonymous Arab-Sasanian type, derived from the 'Anahita' issue of Khosrau II, without mint name, circa AH 81-101 = AD 700-720. Draped bust resembling Khosrau II facing, wearing elaborate and winged mural crown; to left, AFZUT GDH ('may his kingship increase' in Pahlawi); to right, HWSRWD ('Khosrau' in Pahlawi). Rev. Draped bust of Anahita wearing a flame nimbus around the head; to left, illegible legend; to right, HWSRWD ('Khosrau' in Pahlawi). Album N41. Gyselen 65. SICA I, -. Clipped down to the portraits and with flan cracks, otherwise, very fine.

R. Gyselen questions the widely accepted identification of the bust on the reverse as a representation of the goddess Anahita. In his opinion, it is much more likely 'a male divinity with a strong relationship to the Holy Zoroastrian Fire' (Gyselen, Arab-Sasanian, p. 32).