Dirham, Volga Bulgaria, second quarter of the 10th century
This coin is an imitation of a dirham and was struck in Volga Bulgaria in the second quarter of the 10th century. The Bulgars of the basin of the Volga River are best known from the travelogue by Ibn Fadlan. Ibn Fadlan was part of an entourage sent by the caliph al-Muqtadir from Baghdad in AD 921 to the Volga Bulgarian Empire. The aim of the trip was to provide more information about Islam to the Volga Bulgars, who had recently converted to the religion.
The Volga Bulgars played an important role as intermediaries between Vikings and Islamic merchants. They started striking Islamic-style coins in the early 10th century.
