Posthumous Azes Coins In deposits from ancient

ONS 2 March 2013 ‘Donation of Śivarakṣita, son of Mujavada, offered with relics of the Lord, in honour of all buddhas’

Deposits from Bimaran 2 stupa with the gold casket and Posthumous Azes coins Courtesy of Piers Baker

Shevaki Stupa, Courtesy of Piers Baker

Shevaki Stupa from afar Courtesy of Piers Baker

Guldara Stupa, Kabul The ‘Indo-’ kings and in coin sequences

(Based on Errington & Curtis 2007)

Kings Satraps

Basileos / Maharaja , Strategos / Chatrap

Maues (c.75-65BC) Kharahostes (early 1st AD)

Vonones (c.65-50BC) (c.AD30-50)

Spalyrises (c.50-40BC) Rajavula

Azes I (c.46-1BC) Aspavarma (c.AD33-64)*

Azilises (c.1BC-AD16) * With the name ‘Azes’ on the obverse

Azes II (c.16-30AD)

Indo-Scythian coins from Buddhist sites in ancient and Afghanistan (Based on Errington 1999/2000)

Swat

Darunta// Hadda

Posthumous Azes

Maues c.75-65BC c.1BC-AD16 Zeionises c.AD30-50 Vonones c.65-50BC Azes II c.AD16-30 Rajavula c.46-1BC Kharahostes early 1st AD Aspavarma c.AD33-64 Pontic to Central Asian steppes

Iranian Plateau Arabia

Nomadic and sedentary groups living in areas extending from the Pontic to Central Asian steppes during the first millennium BC

‘Σκυϑοι’ in Greek sources / ‘’ in Iranian sources ‘Śakas’ in Indian sources / ‘Sai’ or ‘Se’ in Chinese sources

Three types of Sakas according to the Naqš-i-Rustam inscription of Darius I  Sakas ‘who are across the sea’ ( Paradraya)

The Pontic steppe areas north of the Black Sea

 Sakas ‘wearing the pointed cap’ (Saka Tigraxauda)

Areas between the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea

 ‘Hauma-drinking’ or ‘Hauma-preparing Sakas’ (Saka Haumavarga)

Regions around the Syr Darya (Jaxartes River), and Ferghana and

Altai valleys close to Sogdia

(Neelis 2007; Briant 2002; Kent 1953)

Across the sea

Pointed cap

Iranian Plateau Sakas in Chinese historical annals

 Shi Ji

Compiled by Sima Qian (148-86BC)

 Han shu

Compiled by Ban Biao (3-54AD), Ban Gu (32-92AD) and

Ban Zhao (48-116AD)

Features that distinguish Posthumous Azes coins from other coins in the name of Azes

Posthumous Azes

Highly debased content of silver

Stylised Tyche on the reverse

‘dharmika’ (the Just) is added to the king’s title

New Kharoshthi monograms are used (same as those on Kharahostes – a satrap – Mit. 888)

(Cribb & Bopearachchi 1992) AZES I BM 1894,0506.570 / Silver – 9.4g King holding spear/Pallas left Basileos Basileon Megalou Azou Maharajasa Rajarajasa Mahatasa Ayasa

AZES II BM 1894,0506.566 / Silver – 8.92g King holding whip/Pallas right Basileos Basileon Megalou Azou Maharajasa Rajarajasa Mahatasa Ayasa

POSTHUMOUS AZES BM IOC.201 / copper alloy – 9.57g King holding whip / Tyche holding cornucopia Corrupted Greek Maharajasa Mahatasa Dhramikasa Rajatirajasa Ayasa New Kharoshthi monogram Posthumous Azes coins in stupa deposits in eastern Afghanistan

Tope-I-Kuchera

Passani T5 Bimaran 2

Kotpur 1 Bimaran 5 Hadda 3 Bimaran 2

Kotpur 1

Stupas’ photos from Mizuno 1970 Passani Tumulus VI, VII, V and Stupa 2

Photo from Mizuno 1970 Stupa name No. Other coins Other Stupa Position Conditions of objects category and relating to when found PH wherein other Azes objects Reliquaries Outside ‘Pristine’ Bimaran 2 4 - gemstones the pearls etc reliquary Reliquaries Outside ‘Excellent Bimaran 5 At (1) pearls etc the preservation’ least 6 Kujula reliquaries (at least 66) 15 ‘small small stone With other Passani T5 1 corroded & coins but copper coins’ Bird beak separated

from objects Reliquaries ‘entirely Kotpur 1 2 - ornaments uncertain oxidized’ bird beak Tope-I- Kharahostes Reliquary Kutchera 1 (1) & Inside & A piece of reliquary Kujula (1) rock crystal Gondophares Reliquaries Hadda 3 2 (1) & Outside Kujula reliquary (13) Posthumous Azes coins in stupa deposits of eastern Afghanistan (in the BM) Coins occurred with Posthumous Azes in stupa deposits

Kharahostes (c. early 1st AD) (Lion/horse)

Gondophares (c.AD32-60) (c.AD40-90) (Bust of king/Nike) ( Imitation) From Hadda Stupa 3 From Hadda Stupa 3 Summary

 Late 1st century AD, or later

 Could have been issued by Kujula Kadphises or Wima Takto, or one of the Indo-Scythian satraps

 Highly localised: found (so far) only in Darunta plain and Hadda

 Produced from more than one die

 Mostly outside reliquaries

 Inside relic cells (if any)

 An equal number or more coins than Gondophares

but much fewer coins than those of Kujula

Acknowledgements

 Elizabeth Errington, Joe Cribb and Robert Bracey, Department of Coins and Medals, the

 Dr. Cameron Petrie Division of Archaeology, Cambridge University

 Piers Baker Masson Project, Department of Coins and Medals, the British Museum

 The Neil Kreitman Foundation