Athenian Owl Coins (512 BCE Onwards)

For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts

This is the earliest type of Athenian owl coin. This style of coin was only minted in Athens around 510-500/490 BCE and is a Tetradrachm (22mm, 17.16 grams) meaning "4 drachms." Yet the more popular early style of coin shown below has the letter ayin as the central letter. Photo online at: https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=6823&lot=106

Top image shows the early style while the bottom image shows the later style appearing after 400 BCE. The later style has smaller edges and adds a crescent moon to the back of the owl. While the owl represented the Druid motion power class the crescent moon represented life power class via its crescent moon goddess Ayu.
Photos from NG coins at: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/2245/Ancients-Owls-Through-the-Years---A-Look-at-the-Evolution-of-Athenian-Tetradrachms/

Bottom photo shows the owl at the Acropolis museum in Athens (Olmsted photo 2019)

Overview of Owl Coins of Fate 512 BCE - 100 CE

(July 3, 2022, Updated June 11, 2025) This is one of the most popular ancient coins and it comes in 2 versions. This style eventually became the standard coin for the eastern Mediterranean because these astrological owls represented fate by representing the motion powers of the astrological night sky being brought down to earth by the Druid deity Thu.

Translation of Early Thu Owl Coin In Akkadian (Med Text 108)

(read top to bottom. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is Aegean

A Ṭu E

In English

These Thu-powers can be ineffective

Early coins are characterized by their thick planchets (edges). These coins were introduced by the Athenian king Hippias and supported by a seemingly limitless supply of silver from the newly discovered silver mines at nearby Laurium. Notice the olive branch behind the owl which was the source of Athens' prosperity prior to its silver mine.

Translation of Early and Later Motion-Power Owl Coins In Akkadian (Med Text 109)

(read top to bottom. Capital letters on stone. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is Aegean

A'u E

In English

Motion/Emotion powers can be ineffective

The other side of the coin shows a goddess usually interpreted as the the goddess Athena but this is really an image of the Druid hermaphrodite deity Thu who is the connective motion power deity who brings the motion powers of the astrological night sky to earth as emotions.

The owl is the divine bird of the motion power class which also comes in 2 varieties with one representing the emotion powers (Akkadian akû) while the other represents the astrological motion powers of fate (Akkadian ḫū’u.)

References

Michael Beall (July 23, 2020) Being Wise About Owls: The Athenian Owl Tetradrachm. in Coin Week. Online at: https://coinweek.com/being-wise-about-owls-the-athenian-owl-tetradrachm/

(September 15, 2024) Close-up of the hermaphrodite deity Thu on the Etruscan tomb of Orcus (490 BCE) which was also made during some drought years. Notice the similarities of hair style with the goddess Athena on the coins. Athena also had male characteristics as she was often shown wearing armor.

The right label reads (right to left):

The Controllers (Su, Selu) cause emotional-affects. : The openings (of rain through the sky-shell) are not being influenced by those.

The left label reads (right to left):

Energy elevates ....

Reference: Calf-Bearer Text is an Important Linguistic Reference For Translating These Athenian Owl Coins

(September 15, 2024) Letter assignments added by Olmsted. The text style is a mix of Etruscan and Aegean. It shows that both the letter signs representing ' (Ayin) and Ṭ (Teth/Theta) were in use in Athens between 512 and 480 BCE.

The body of this statue was found on the Athen’s acropolis in 1864. Its base with the feet was found later in the same general area in 1887. Consequently, they are assumed to go together. Its style is the Kouros style popular before the golden age of Athens between 480 - 404 BCE. It is now located in the Acropolis Museum in Athens at https://theacropolismuseum.gr/en/male-statue-its-base-calf-bearer

Calf-Bearer Text From the Pre-Parthenon Acropolis of Athens (480 BCE) Clearly Seperates the Letters Ṭ (teth) and ' (ayin)

(Jan 28, 2023, Updated December 18, 2024) In September 480 BCE the Persian army led by king Xerxes I burned Athens and destroyed the old Acropolis. This destruction was one component of the Greek - Persian War which began in 492 BC as the culmination of the civil strife caused by the drought of 499 and the resulting Ionian revolt. The war lasted until 449 BC. This statue existed on the old acropolis as it existed prior to the building of the Parthenon. It indicates that some divine power was blocking the fertility-fluids which triggers the release of rain and spring water (emanations), and the creation of life forms. The mentioned "boundary" is the sky-shell and the middle layer of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. This text also mentions the astrological owls which add motion powers (fluid flow) to the fertility-fluids.

In terms of linguistics this is also an important text because it demonstrates that the letter Ṭ (teth, theta) was different from the letter ' (ayin) at this time and place.

Translation in Akkadian (Med Text 6.1)

(read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is a mix of Etruscan and Aegean.

[1]Mu Ba'u ZiPu Mu. EṬu EKu EMu | Ḫu'u [2]W Le'u

In English

[word] is nesting the casting of fertility-fluids. The boundary (sky-shell) is supervising the starvation. | Astrological-owls [1 or 2 words] fate.

Owl Coins Found in the Levant Dating Between 0 and 70 CE

(June 13, 2025) These seem to some of the last owl coins minted and they seem to have been minted during the runup to the Roman Jewish war which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Translation in Akkadian (Med Text 110)

E'u ELu E

In English

Yahu's high-powers can be ineffective

Reference

Gitler, Haim (2011 ) The Earliest Coin of Judah. In Israel Numismatic Research. Published by the Israel Numismatic Society, Volume 6

(June 13, 2025) These seem to some of the last owl coins minted and they seem to have been minted during the runup to the Roman Jewish was which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Translation in Akkadian (Med Text 6.2)

ALu E'u E

In English

Alu's Yahu can be ineffective

Reference

Gitler, Haim (2011 ) The Earliest Coin of Judah. In Israel Numismatic Research. Published by the Israel Numismatic Society, Volume 6

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