Ionia. Phokaia circa 387-326 BC.
Sixth Stater or Hekte EL

10 mm, 2,59 g

Head of Pan left, wearing ivy wreath; below, small seal left / Quadripartite incuse square.

Extremely Fine

Bodenstedt 97.

From a southern German private collection; Ex Lanz Auction 162, Lot 127. In Greek mythology, Pan is a rustic god of the wild, nature, and shepherds. He is often depicted as having the legs, horns, and beard of a goat, with a human upper body. Pan is associated with fertility, music, and the untamed aspects of nature. He is known for his mischievous and playful nature, as well as his amorous pursuits. Pan is typically portrayed as a carefree deity who roams the mountains and forests, playing his pan flute and frolicking with nymphs and other woodland creatures. He is also credited with inventing the pan flute, a musical instrument made of reeds of different lengths. While Pan is not a major figure in Greek mythology like Zeus or Apollo, he appears in various stories and is often invoked by shepherds and travelers for protection in the wilderness.