DOCSLIB.ORG

Coins from Igra, District Jind, Haryana

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Coins from Igra, District Jind, Haryana Coins from Igra, District Jind, Haryana Vivek Dangi1 and Rajpal2 1. Department of History, All India Jat Heroes’ Memorial College, Rohtak, Haryana, India (Email: [email protected]) 2. Department of Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India (Email: [email protected]) Received: 05 August 2015; Accepted: 14 September 2015; Revised: 04 November 2015 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 3 (2015): 715‐723 Abstract: Numismatics is undoubtedly one of the most valuable sources of history. It confirms the information culled from other sources and by themselves provides information which is not known from other sources. About 40 Indo‐Greek rulers ruled over northern India, epigraphy refers to only a few and literature refers to half a dozen of them. The historicity of the rest of them are known only from coins, and after careful and intensive study of these coins, numismatists attempt to establish chronology of kings and throw light on various aspects of their history and culture. Thus coins throw light on various aspects of the regional as well as National history. During recent exploration in Jind, district Haryana, researchers found some coins from Igra‐1which throw light on the political, Social, Economic and cultural aspect of the region and enrich our existing knowledge. Keywords: Igra, Cast Coins, Historical, Potsherd, Late Harappan, Indo‐Scythian, Yaudheyas Introduction Igra village is located in Jind district of Haryana. The village Igra is situated about 12 km west of Jind (district head quarter), on the Jind‐Hansi Road (Fig. 1). There are three ancient mounds in the revenue jurisdiction of the village. The site of Igra‐1 (29°13ʹ30ʺN, 76°14ʹ47ʺE) is partly covered by the present habitation and partly falls in an open area. The nature of the site is habitational, and it is divided into two mounds. It is locally known as Khera. The potsherds are scattered in an area of 15 ha and the height of the mound is about 10 m high from the surrounding levels. It is oval in shape and its longer axis is from east to west. The pottery recovered during the explorations belongs to the Late Harappan (Dangi 2009:111), PGW, Kushana, Gupta and Medieval periods (Singh 1981: 82‐83). The site Igra‐2 (29°12ʹ45.3ʺN, 76°15ʹ51.1ʺE) is situated about 1.5 km east of the present village. A bullock‐cart track leads to the site which is 0.5 km south of the Igra‐Buwana Road. It falls in the fields of ShriChhaju Ram, s/o Shri Nanak and is highly damaged. ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 3: 2015 The nature of the site is habitational. It is locally known as Ranawala. The potsherds are scattered in an area of 3 ha and levelled for agricultural purposes. It is rectangular in shape and its longer axis is oriented from north to south. The site has yielded the remains of the Ghaggar‐Hakra culture, Early Harappan, Late Harappan and Historical periods. The site Igra‐3 (29°14ʹ37.1ʺN, 76°15ʹ22.2ʺE) is situated about 2 km north of the present village. A bullock‐cart track leads to the site. It falls in the fields of Shri Hukam Singh, s/o ShriMalha Singh. The site has been highly disturbed. It is locally known as Mandor. The potsherds are scattered in an area of 1 ha and levelled for agricultural purposes. It is rectangular in shape and its longer axis is oriented from east to west. The site has yielded remains of the Late Harappan and PGW cultures (Dangi 2009:111). During the course of explorations present authors recovered sixteen coins from the site Igra‐1.These include Uninscribed cast coins, Indo‐Scythian ,Kushana, Yaudheyas and Samantadeva (Fig. 2). Rest of the coins belongs to Medieval period. Figure 1: General map of Haryana showing village Igra Uninscribed Cast Coins The earliest indigenous coins after punch‐marked coins are the uninscribed cast coins. These coins were minted using cast techniques but sometimes die‐struck coins are also found. These coins are usually round and square. The round ones have elephant on 716 Dangi and Rajpal 2015: 715‐723 Figure 2: Coins from Igra‐1 obverse and three arched hill on the reverse, while the square coins bears elephant, swastika topped standard taurine on the obverse and tree in railing. Bow cross and arched hill on the reverse. Cast coins are usually found in central India, U.P., Haryana, 717 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 3: 2015 Punjab, Pakistan and Nepal or we can say that these coins were reported from entire India expect extreme south. From the stratigraphical context cast coins usually found along with punch marked coins and Northern Black Polished Ware. Allan (1936) dated these coins 3rd‐2nd Century B.C., Cunningham (1981:60) believes that these coins started about the end of 6th Century B.C. along with punch marked coins. The uninscribed cast coins continued to be in circulation in mid‐Ganga valley upto the Sunga period or little later to that. Uninscribed cast coins were earlier reported from Jind district (Singh 1982: 230‐231). During explorations one such coin was found from Igra‐1 (Fig. 2.1). Uninscribed Cast Coin (Fig. 2.1) Provenience Igra‐1 Ruler ‐ Metal Copper Size 13.3 mm Size 2.89 mm Weight 2.5 gm Shape Circular Obverse Elephant with rider moving left Reverse Three arched hill with crescent Indo‐Scythian Coins Indo‐Scythians (Sakas) ruled over north‐west including Gandhara, Sind, Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP. The first Indo‐Scythian ruler was Maues who established his rule over Gandhara during 1st Century B.C after destroying the Greek kingdom. Azes‐1 and Azilises were the other famous rulers of this dynasty. The Indo‐ Scythian rulers circulated coins of several varieties in copper and silver. Their coin bears Greek legend on the obverse and Kharosthi legend on the reverse. During the course of the exploration two copper coins of Rajuvula were found from Igra‐1, who ruled over Mathura region around 10 A.D (Figs. 2.2 & 2.3). Indo‐Scythian Coin (Fig. 2.2) Provenience Igra‐1 Ruler Rajuvula (Indo‐Scythian) Metal Copper Size 13.4 mm Size 3 mm Weight 1.90 gm Shape Circular Obverse Head of the king to the right, wearing scarf and diademed, traces of Greek inscription Reverse Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding horizontal shield on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, Kharoshthi legend around: Chatrapasaapratihatachakrasarajuvulasa 718 Dangi and Rajpal 2015: 715‐723 Indo‐Scythian Coin (Fig. 2.3) Provenience Igra‐1 Ruler Rajuvula (Indo‐Scythian) Metal Copper Size 13.3 mm Size 2.98 mm Weight 1.85 gm Shape Circular Obverse Head of the king to the right, wearing scarf and diademed, traces of Greek inscription Reverse Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding horizontal shield on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, Kharoshthi legend around: Chatrapasaapratihatachakrasarajuvulasa Yaudheya Coins Yaudheyas were one of the powerful tribal republics of ancient India. Yaudheya coins are usually found almost all over the region of Haryana, Punjab, northern Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, some part of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and in Bhawalpur region of Pakistan. During the exploration, the author found two Yaudheyas coin from the site. These coins were in a fair state of preservation when found and have been chemical treated and conserved. One coin (Fig. 2.4) belongs to C. second‐first century B.C. and another one coin (Fig. 2.6) belongs to c. third ‐ fourth centuries A.D. Yaudheya Coin (Fig. 2.4) Provenience Igra‐1 Ruler ‐ Metal Copper Size 19.5 mm Size 3.2 mm Weight 4.5 gm Shape Circular Obverse Bull farcing to right on a yupa, Brahmi legend: YaudheyanamBahudhnake Reverse Blur Yaudheya coins were found in a number of varieties therefore many scholars had classified them in many classes. Canningham divided these coins into three types (Cunningham 1891:76‐77), Allan (1936: 90‐94) classified these coins into six classes with sub‐types and three periods. But most of the scholars accept K.D. Bajpai (1973:90‐94) classification. He classified Yaudheya coins basically in three classes, Class I is of ‘bull‐ elephant’ bearing coins of second‐first century B.C. Class‐II is of the coins bearing ‘six headed Karttikeya’ and Class‐III is bearing the legend Yaudheyasganasyajaya. Class‐III coins apart from Yaudheyasganasyajaya have dvi and tri as addition legends. Saraswati(1979) holds the view that the Yaudheyas defeated the Kushanas thrice. After 719 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 3: 2015 the first victory, they issued the coins with the legend Yaudheyasganasyajaya, while after the second victory they added the word dvi. After the third victory, they put tri along with the legend. Coins found during explorations fall in the Class‐I and Class‐III. Yaudheya Coin (Fig. 2.6) Provenience Igra‐1 Ruler ‐ Metal Copper Size 23.4 mm Size 4.5 mm Weight 10.82 gm Shape Circular Obverse Karttikeya standing facing holding a spear in his right hands and his left hand resting on his hip. A peacock stands near his left foot. Brahmi legend: Yaudheyaganasyajaya, between head of Karttikeya and spear: tri Reverse Female deity in tribhanga mudra with her right hand raised and her left hand resting on her hip. Border of dots, conch shell are placed to the left of the deity and a sri vats symbol Kushana Coins Kushanas were a branch of the Yueh‐chi race of China, who were dislodged from their original homeland in the middle of the second century B.C.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Revised Dates for the Deposition of the Begram Hoard and Occupation at the New Royal City”, Parthica, 19, 75-104
    Morris, L. 2017. “Revised dates for the deposition of the Begram hoard and occupation at the New Royal City”, Parthica, 19, 75-104. REVISED DATES FOR THE DEPOSITION OF THE BEGRAM HOARD AND OCCUPATION AT THE NEW ROYAL CITY * LAUREN MORRIS ABSTRACT This paper offers two major revisions to the chronology of the archaeological site of Begram (Afghanistan). The first revision pertains to when the Begram hoard was deposited (i.e. not when the objects were produced). Based on the new identification of three coins from room 10 as belonging to the post-Vasudeva Oesho with bull series, as well as an analysis of the distribution of the hoard objects and the degradation of the surrounding structure, a terminus post quem for this event is fixed at c. 260 AD. The second revision relates to the occupation of Site II and other areas of the New Royal City. Drawing on architectural, ceramic, and numismatic evidence, it is argued that both Ghirshman’s attribution of the Site II structure to Niveau II only, and his attribution of the Qala to Niveau III, are incorrect. Rather, it seems that the Site II structure was renovated and continued to be occupied through Niveau III, and was occupied at the same time as the upper occupation layers at Site B, Site I, and the city entrance. The hoard was likely deposited with the abandonment of the New Royal City at the end of Niveau III. KEYWORDS: Begram, hoard, archives, Musée Guimet, Vasudeva imitation, Kushano- Sasanian. THE SITE, DATA, AND UNANSWERED QUESTIONS Begram is the modern name for an urban site (34°59'42"N, 69°18'39"E) ca.
    [Show full text]
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Peshawar Museum Is a Rich Repository of the Unique Art Pieces of Gandhara Art in Stone, Stucco, Terracotta and Bronze
    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Peshawar Museum is a rich repository of the unique art pieces of Gandhara Art in stone, stucco, terracotta and bronze. Among these relics, the Buddhist Stone Sculptures are the most extensive and the amazing ones to attract the attention of scholars and researchers. Thus, research was carried out on the Gandharan Stone Sculptures of the Peshawar Museum under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ihsan Ali, the then Director of Archaeology and Museums, Govt. of NWFP, currently Vice Chancellor Hazara University and Muhammad Naeem Qazi, Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar. The Research team headed by the authors included Messrs. Syed Ayaz Ali Shah, Muhammad Ashfaq, Abdul Hameed Chitrali, Muhammad Zahir, Asad Raza, Shahid Khan, Muhammad Imran Khan, Asad Ali, Muhammad Haroon, Ubaidullah Afghani, Kaleem Jan, Adnan Ahmad, Farhana Waqar, Saima Afzal, Farkhanda Saeed and Ihsanullah Jan, who contributed directly or indirectly to the project. The hard working team with its coordinated efforts usefully assisted for completion of this research project and deserves admiration for their active collaboration during the period. It is great privilege to offer our sincere thanks to the staff of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums Govt. of NWFP, for their outright support, in the execution of this research conducted during 2002-06. Particular mention is made here of Mr. Saleh Muhammad Khan, the then Curator of the Peshawar Museum, currently Director of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Govt. of NWFP. The pioneering and relevant guidelines offered by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Govt. of NWFP deserve appreciation for their technical support and ensuring the availability of relevant art pieces.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes on the Yuezhi - Kushan Relationship and Kushan Chronology”, by Hans Loeschner
    “Notes on the Yuezhi - Kushan Relationship and Kushan Chronology”, by Hans Loeschner Notes on the Yuezhi – Kushan Relationship and Kushan Chronology By Hans Loeschner Professor Michael Fedorov provided a rejoinder1 with respect to several statements in the article2 “A new Oesho/Shiva image of Sasanian ‘Peroz’ taking power in the northern part of the Kushan empire”. In the rejoinder Michael Fedorov states: “The Chinese chronicles are quite unequivocal and explicit: Bactria was conquered by the Ta-Yüeh-chih! And it were the Ta-Yüeh-chih who split the booty between five hsi-hou or rather five Ta-Yüeh-chih tribes ruled by those hsi-hou (yabgus) who created five yabguates with capitals in Ho-mo, Shuang-mi, Hu-tsao, Po-mo, Kao-fu”. He concludes the rejoinder with words of W.W. Tarn3: “The new theory, which makes the five Yüeh- chih princes (the Kushan chief being one) five Saka princes of Bactria conquered by the Yüeh- chih, throws the plain account of the Hou Han shu overboard. The theory is one more unhappy offshoot of the elementary blunder which started the belief in a Saka conquest of Greek Bactria”.1 With respect to the ethnical allocation of the five hsi-hou Laszlo Torday provides an analysis with a result which is in contrast to the statement of Michael Fedorov: “As to the kings of K’ang- chü or Ta Yüeh-shih, those chiefs of foreign tribes who acknowledged their supremacy were described in the Han Shu as “lesser kings” or hsi-hou. … The hsi-hou (and their fellow tribespeople) were ethnically as different from the Yüeh-shih and K’ang-chü as were the hou… from the Han.
    [Show full text]
  • Gandharan Sculptures in the Peshawar Museum (Life Story of Buddha)
    Gandharan Sculptures in the Peshawar Museum (Life Story of Buddha) Ihsan Ali Muhammad Naeem Qazi Hazara University Mansehra NWFP – Pakistan 2008 Uploaded by [email protected] © Copy Rights reserved in favour of Hazara University, Mansehra, NWFP – Pakistan Editors: Ihsan Ali* Muhammad Naeem Qazi** Price: US $ 20/- Title: Gandharan Sculptures in the Peshawar Museum (Life Story of Buddha) Frontispiece: Buddha Visiting Kashyapa Printed at: Khyber Printers, Small Industrial Estate, Kohat Road, Peshawar – Pakistan. Tel: (++92-91) 2325196 Fax: (++92-91) 5272407 E-mail: [email protected] Correspondence Address: Hazara University, Mansehra, NWFP – Pakistan Website: hu.edu.pk E-mail: [email protected] * Professor, Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar, Currently Vice Chancellor, Hazara University, Mansehra, NWFP – Pakistan ** Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan CONTRIBUTORS 1. Prof. Dr. Ihsan Ali, Vice Chancellor Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan 2. Muhammad Naeem Qazi, Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan 3. Ihsanullah Jan, Lecturer, Department of Cultural Heritage & Tourism Management, Hazara University 4. Muhammad Ashfaq, University Museum, Hazara University 5. Syed Ayaz Ali Shah, Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan 6. Abdul Hameed Chitrali, Lecturer, Department of Cultural Heritage & Tourism Management, Hazara University 7. Muhammad Imran Khan, Archaeologist, Charsadda, Pakistan 8. Muhammad Haroon, Archaeologist, Mardan, Pakistan III ABBREVIATIONS A.D.F.C. Archaeology Department, Frontier Circle A.S.I. Archaeological Survery of India A.S.I.A.R. Archaeological Survery of India, Annual Report D.G.A. Director General of Archaeology E.G.A.C. Exhibition of the German Art Council I.G.P. Inspector General Police IsMEO Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente P.M.
    [Show full text]
  • Language and Legend in Early Kushan Coinage: Progression and Transformation Razieh Taasob Princeton University
    2018, No. 5 © Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, University of California, Irvine ISSN: 2470 - 4040 Language and Legend in Early Kushan Coinage: Progression and Transformation Razieh Taasob Princeton University 71 Introdu' ion: arly Kushan coinage displays its aff iliation and syncretism with former coin pra9 ices not only in the Erepresentation of royal and religious imagery, but also in the language, legends and the execution of inscriptions. The Kushans continued the traditional Greek pra9 ices that had already been adopted by the Greco-Ba9 rians, specifically the use of the Greek language on their coinage as seen frequently in Ba9 ria. In conformity with other former traditions, the Kushans also maintained the Indo-Greek prac- tices employed south of the Hindu Kush by using bilingual inscriptions on their coinage. The languages used south of the Hindu Kush were predominantly Greek for the obverse type and PrakritH (wriJ en in Brahmi and Kharoshthi script) for the reverse. The Indo-Greeks introduced the use of the Kharoshthi script for coinage, and it was subsequently applied by the Indo-Scythians and Indo-Parthians in their respe9 ive regions. This script was used in the area of the Indus, Swat, and Kabul valleys and in a wide area of northern India and the surrounding regions. Evidence of this can be seen on the coinage of the H- “The language of Indic inscription”. The Prakrit or middle Indo-Aryan (MIA) language was the only inscriptional language from the third to firQ century BC, which endured as a common language for coinage for more than two centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • Aryan Tribes, and on the 'Rājput'
    295 ART. X.—Notes on the Origin of the 'Lunar' and 'Solar7 Aryan Tribes, and on the ' Rajput' Clans. By B. If. BADEN-POWELL, C.I.E., M.E.A.S. BY way of explanation, I may be permitted to say that having been for some time engaged on an inquiry into the history of the various kinds of Indian landlord tenure,1 not as a matter of theory, but on the basis of local facts, it became necessary to consider the origin and distribution of the tribes or clans to which the landlord classes most commonly belong. A number of notes were thus accumulated ; and I thought it might be useful to put them together, much more in the hope of receiving correction, and of thus gaining information, than with the design of imparting it. It at once appears, as regards Northern India, that of the superior proprietor class when ' Hindu,' or at least originally Hindu, a large proportion belongs to the tribes known as 'Rajput.' Some of the higher families, however, now resent being so designated, and call themselves 'Kshatriya.'2 The latter name,- again, is usually understood to have reference to the military and ruling caste of ancient times, 1 Which I hope eventually to publish in continuation of my study of the Indian village communities and their tenures. 2 Or in the spoken form Chatri. This, in fact, is the equivalent of 'Kshatriya,' and not the word Khatri, which is also in use but indicates quite another caste. The latter has no real connection with the old military order, though sometimes attempts are made to assert such a connection.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Eurasian Studies
    JOURNAL OF EURASIAN STUDIES _____________________________________________________________________________________ Journal of the Gábor Bálint de Szentkatolna Society Founded: 2009. Internet: www.federatio.org/joes.html _____________________________________________________________________________________ Volume II., Issue 2. / April — June 2010 ____________________ ISSN 1877-4199 April-June 2010 JOURNAL OF EURASIAN STUDIES Volume II., Issue 2. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Publisher Foundation 'Stichting MIKES INTERNATIONAL', established in The Hague, Holland. Account: Postbank rek.nr. 7528240 Registered: Stichtingenregister: S 41158447 Kamer van Koophandel en Fabrieken Den Haag Distribution The periodical can be downloaded from the following Internet-address: http://www.federatio.org/joes.html If you wish to subscribe to the email mailing list, you can do it by sending an email to the following address: [email protected] The publisher has no financial sources. It is supported by many in the form of voluntary work and gifts. We kindly appreciate your gifts. Address The Editors and the Publisher can be contacted at the following addresses: Email: [email protected] Postal address: P.O. Box 10249, 2501 HE, Den Haag, Holland Individual authors are responsible for facts included and views expressed in their articles. _____________________________________ ISSN 1877-4199 © Mikes International, 2001-2010, All Rights Reserved _____________________________________________________________________________________
    [Show full text]
  • Mazdooano, the Gracious One, Kushan God on a Gold Dinara of Kanishka I (Coin )
    Mazdooano, the gracious one, Kushan god on a gold dinara of Kanishka I (Coin ). Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins A Catalogue of Coins From the American Numismatic Society David Jongeward and Joe Cribb with Peter Donovan THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY NEW YORK Introduction Nearly all the , coins documented in this catalogue of the ANS collection of Kushan coins were donated to the Society: Table . Principal Sources (fve or more coins) of Kushan coins in the American Numismatic Society ANS Accession Collection No. of coins . I. J. Greenwood . Valentine collection, gif of Mr. E.T. Newell . Columbia University . Ms. R. T. Barrington . K. Minassian . Mr. E. T. Newell . Sir John Marshall, purchased from Metropolitan Museum of Art . Purchased from A. F. McKenzie . Mrs. A. M. Newell . Metropolitan Museum of Art . F. Jacobs . G.C. Miles collection, gif of Mrs. J.R. McCredie . William Spengler . Marjorie D. Schwartz . William Spengler . Martha Carter . William Spengler . William Spengler . H. W. Herz . Harry Fowler . C. K. Panish . Mrs. Olivia Garvey Lincoln . Purchased from P. R. Donovan 2 Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins Map . Te Kushan World. Courtesy of Elizabeth Errington. A few coins have been purchased since the outset of the present catalogue project which began in . Kushan coin donations to the ANS commenced with the I. J. Greenwood bequest in . Subsequent donations include the collections of E. T. Newell in , a jointly donated collection from William Spengler and Dr. Martha Carter in , and a large collection of Kushan coppers from the Lincoln bequest in . Dr. Larry Adams, an ANS Trustee, has kindly permitted the authors to include ffy-four gold coins from his private collection, an intended gif to the Society.
    [Show full text]
  • The Kushans and the Emergence of the Early Silk Roads
    The Kushans and the Emergence of the Early Silk Roads A thesis submitted to fulfil requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Research) Departments of Archaeology and History (joint) By Paul Wilson Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences University of Sydney 2020 This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge, the content of this thesis is my own work. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or other purposes. I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work and that all the assistance received in preparing this thesis and sources has been acknowledged. 1 Abstract: The Kushans and the Emergence of the Early Silk Roads The Kushans were a major historical power on the ancient Silk Roads, although their influence has been greatly overshadowed by that of China, Rome and Parthia. That the Kushans are so little known raises many questions about the empire they built and the role they played in the political and cultural dynamics of the period, particularly the emerging Silk Roads network. Despite building an empire to rival any in the ancient world, conventional accounts have often portrayed the Kushans as outsiders, and judged them merely in the context of neighbouring ‘superior’ powers. By examining the materials from a uniquely Kushan perspective, new light will be cast on this key Central Asian society, the empire they constructed and the impact they had across the region. Previous studies have tended to focus, often in isolation, on either the archaeological evidence available or the historical literary sources, whereas this thesis will combine understanding and assessments from both fields to produce a fuller, more deeply considered, profile.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancient Coin Reference Guide
    Ancient Coin Reference Guide Part One Compiled by Ron Rutkowsky When I first began collecting ancient coins I started to put together a guide which would help me to identify them and to learn more about their history. Over the years this has developed into several notebooks filled with what I felt would be useful information. My plan now is to make all this information available to other collectors of ancient coinage. I cannot claim any credit for this information; it has all come from many sources including the internet. Throughout this reference I use the old era terms of BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domni, year of our Lord) rather than the more politically correct BCE (Before the Christian era) and CE (Christian era). Rome With most collections, there must be a starting point. Mine was with Roman coinage. The history of Rome is a subject that we all learned about in school. From Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony, to Constantine the Great and the fall of the empire in the late 5th century AD. Rome first came into being around the year 753 BC, when it was ruled under noble families that descended from the Etruscans. During those early days, it was ruled by kings. Later the Republic ruled by a Senate headed by a Consul whose term of office was one year replaced the kingdom. The Senate lasted until Julius Caesar took over as a dictator in 47 BC and was murdered on March 15, 44 BC. I will skip over the years until 27 BC when Octavian (Augustus) ended the Republic and the Roman Empire was formed making him the first emperor.
    [Show full text]
  • Rap897__Rapson Indiancoins.Pdf
    FILE Name: Rap897__Rapson_IndianCoins.pdf PURL: http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl/?gr_elib-181 Type: Searchable PDF/A (text under image), index/bookmarks Encoding: Unicode (ā ī ū ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ ṅ ñ ṭ ḍ ṇ ś ṣ ḥ ṃ ...) Date: 17.5.2011; REVISION: #1, 26.7.2011 BRIEF RECORD Author: Rapson, Edward James Title: Indian Coins : with five plates Publ.: Strassburg : Karl J. Trübner 1897 Description: 56 p. Series: Grundriss der Indo-Arischen Philologie und Altertumskunde, II. Band, 3. Heft, B FULL RECORD http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gr_elib.htm NOTICE This file may be copied on the condition that its entire contents, including this data sheet, remain intact. GRETIL e-library GRUNDRISS DER INDO-ARISCHEN PHILOLOGIE UND ALTERTUMSKUNDE UNTER MITWIRKUNG VON A. BAINES-LoNDON, R. G.BHANDARKAR-PUNA, M. BLOOMFIELD-BALTIMORE, J.BURGESS-EDINBURGH, O. FRANKE - KÖNIGSBERG, R. GARBE-TUBINGEN, W. GEIGER - ERLANGEN, K. GELDNER–BERLIN, G. A. GRIERSON-CALCUTTA, A. IIILLEBRANDT–BRESLAU, II. JACOBI-BoNN, J. JOLLY-wÜRZBURG‚ H. KERN-LEIDEN, E. KUHN-MÜNCHEN, C. R. LANMAN-CAMBRIDGE (MASS.), E. LEÜMANN-STRASSBURG, B. LlEBICH-BRESLAU, A. MACDONELL-OXFORD, R. MERINGER-WlEN, R. PlSCHEL-HALLE, E. J. RAPSON-LoNDON, J. S. SPEYER-GRONINGEN, M. A. STEIN-LAHORE, G. THIBAUT- ALLAHABAD, A. VENIS-BENARES, SIR R. WEST-LONDON, M. WINTERNITZ- OXFORD, TIT. ZA.CHARIAE-HALLE HERAUSGEGEBEN vos GEORG BÜHLER INDIAN COINS EY E. J. RAPS ON. WITH FIVE PLVrES. STRASSBURG VERLAG VON KARL J. TRUBNE;R 1898. In diesem werk soll zum ersten Mal der The Encyclopedia of Indo–Aryan Research Versuch gemacht werden, einen Gesamtüber• contains the first attempt at a complete, syste• blick über die einzelnen Gebiete der indo- arischen Philologie und Altertumskunde in matic and concise survey of the vast field of knapper und systematischer Darstellung zu Indian languages, religion, history, antiquities, geben.
    [Show full text]
  • Maghas of Kaushambi Kaushambi Was the Capital of the Ancient Kingdom of Vatsa, One of the Sixteen Mahajanapadas of the Buddha’S Time
    Maghas of Kaushambi Kaushambi was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Vatsa, one of the sixteen mahajanapadas of the Buddha’s time. It was one of the most important trade centres and markets on the trade route coming to Kosala and Magadha from the south and west. Cunningham had identified modern Kosam on the Yamuna, about 30 miles south west of Allahabad, with the ancient city of Kaushambi and this identification is now generally accepted. A large number of copper / bronze coins including both uninscribed and inscribed have been found at Kaushambi. The uninscribed coins comprise many local varieties of cast coins, some showing typological affinity with the universal type of early uninscribed cast coins of Mauryan period. The inscribed coins include coins issued in the name of the city and also in the name of several rulers. Coins issue in the name of the city is mostly made by casting technique and shows some similarity with the local uninscribed cast coins. Some common varieties of these coins are as under: Variety A Obi: Elephant standing to left on a ladder; triangle headed standard in front and a six-armed whorl behind; river below; Ujjain symbol above in right field; Brahmi legend above Kosabi. Rev: Tree-in-railing in centre; above Ujjain symbol; left 6-arched hill and above it nandipada; right, four fishes in a rectangle and above it nandipada. Var. B Obv: Bull standing left; above Brahmi inscription Kosabi. Rev: Lakshmi seated on lotus Var. C Obv: Bull standing left; above Brahmi inscription Kosabi. Rev: Standing deity (? Lakshmi); two taurines below her right hand.
    [Show full text]