M. Kasturi Bai and Shailendra Bhandare (with an appendix by D. Kennet) Chapter 9 The Coins Introduction ‘Hollow cross’-type coins The excavations at Paithan yielded a total of 56 coins, This type consists of a hollow cross on the obverse. including two that were found on the surface. Many These are square in shape. They are also corroded, of these are in a very poor condition, making identi- cracked, worn out and sometimes flaked. All of these fication difficult and tentative or, in 17 cases, impos- coins can be attributed to the post-Mauryan and pre- sible. Those coins that can be identified are broadly Satavahana period. classified in the catalogue below as pre-Satavahana Coin 1. Find No. 574 (Context: 458), Tr. B. (c. 370–150/100 bc), Satavahana (c. 140 bc–ad 220), Period 1. Fig. 9.1. post-Satavahana (2nd–7th centuries ad), Islamic (c. Copper alloy, squarish, broken, corroded and worn out. ad 1300–19th century) and British (ad 1818 and later), Size: 1.75 × (-) × 0.50 cm, weight: 3.49 g. some of which are subdivided into types. Table 9.1 Obv: Traces of a hollow cross are present. shows the occurrence of each of these categories and Rev: Indistinct due to corrosion. types by period. Coin 2. Find No. 504 (Context: 453), Tr. B. Period 1. Fig. 9.1. Copper alloy, squarish, corroded, greenish patina and Pre-Satavahana coins cracked. Size: 1.94 × 1.85 × 0.57 cm, weight: 5.85 g. The pre-Satavahana coins are subdivided into ‘hollow Obv: Hollow cross is faintly visible. cross’ and ‘tree’ types. All are made of copper alloy. Rev: Corroded, no details visible, perhaps blank. Table 9.1: The occurrence of coins by period. Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period Period 4 No period Total 3-temple Pre-Satavahana (total) 8 2 1 3 14 ‘Hollow cross’ 8 2 1 11 ‘Tree’ 1 2 3 Satavahana (total) 1 3 6 5 3 18 ‘Elephant’ 1 2 2 4 3 12 ‘Bull’ 1 4 5 ‘Lion’ 1 1 Post-Satavahana 2 1 3 Unidentified 2 1 6 5 3 17 Late Med/Islamic 2 1 3 British 1 1 Total 8 5 5 17 14 7 56 https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110653540-009 216 M. Kasturi Bai and Shailendra Bhandare (with an appendix by D. Kennet) Fig. 9.1: Coins 1 (574), 3 (505), 5 (537), 2 (504), 4 (506) and 6 (298). Chapter 9 The Coins 217 Coin 3. Find No. 505 (Context: 453), Tr. B. Coin 10. Find No. 338 (Context: 711), Tr. D2. Period 1. Fig. 9.1. Period 2. Copper alloy, squarish, corroded, slight greenish patina, Copper alloy, broken into two pieces, corroded, cracked. cracked. Size: 1.80 × (-) × 0.50 cm, weight: 2.04 g. Size: 1.78 × 1.76 × 1.00 cm, weight: 8.23 g. Obv: No details visible. Obv: Hollow cross faintly visible. Rev: No details visible. Rev: Core visible with uneven surface. Coin 11. Find No. 536 (Context: 923), Tr. A. Coin 4. Find No. 506 (Context: 453), Tr. B. Period 3-temple. Period 1. Fig. 9.1. Copper alloy, squarish, broken, corroded and cracked. Copper alloy, squarish, slightly broken, highly corroded, Size: 1.52 × (-) × 0.43 cm, weight: 2.10 g. flaked, cracked. Obv: No details visible due to corrosion. Size: 2.06 × 1.69 × 0.75 cm, weight: 4.42 g. Rev: No details visible due to corrosion. Obv: Hollow cross is visible. Note: Fabric is the same as that of ‘hollow cross’ type coins. Rev: Corroded, no details visible. Coin 5. Find No. 537 (Context: 453), Tr. B. ‘Tree’-type coins Period 1. Fig. 9.1. There are three coins of this type with a tree associated Copper alloy, squarish, highly corroded, flaked. with other symbols. The type occurs in the pre-Sata- Size: 1.88 × (-) × 0.55 cm, weight: 2.87 g. vahana and Satavahana periods, but all three coins of Obv: No details visible. this type found at Paithan are pre-Satavahana (Nos. Rev: No details visible, core exposed. 12, 13 and 14). Of these, No. 12 was found in Period 3, Note: This coin can be categorized as a ‘hollow cross’ the other two, Nos. 13 and 14, were recovered from the type based on the fabric. deposits of Period 3-temple. Coin 14 is similar to coin 12 Coin 6. Find No. 298 (Context: 754), Tr. D1. but differs in ancillary symbols. Period 1. Fig. 9.1. Coin 12. Find No. 535 (Context: 921), Tr. A. Copper alloy, squarish with projection, corroded, flaked. Period 3. Fig. 9.2. Size: 1.82 × 1.65 × 0.77 cm, weight: 4.38 g. Bronze, squarish, worn out. Obv: Hollow cross faintly visible. Size: 0.77 × (-) × 0.15 cm, weight: 0.46 g. Rev: Not discernable. Obv: Branched tree with taurine symbol on its right-side Coin 7. Find No. 299 (Context: 754), Tr. D1. top corner, some indistinct symbols at the bottom that are Period 1. illegible due to the worn out condition. Copper alloy, rectangular(?), broken irregularly, cor- Rev: Some worn, indistinct symbols are visible. roded to core, worn out. Coin 13. Find No. 648 (Context: 956), Tr. A. Size: 1.55 × (-) × 0.20 cm, weight: 1.08 g. Period 3-temple. Fig. 9.2. Obv: Worn out. Copper, rectangular, badly worn out. Rev: No details visible. Size: 0.84 × (-) × 0.14 cm, weight: 0.35 g. Coin 8. Find No. 812 (Context: 1150), Tr. A. Obv: Indistinct symbols inside a square frame. Period 1. Rev: Worn out, part of a square frame is visible. Copper alloy, fragment, corroded and encrusted. Coin 14. Find No. 538 (Context: 919), Tr. A. Size: (-) × (-) × 0.45 cm, weight: not taken. Period 3-temple. Fig. 9.2. Obv: No details visible. Bronze, rectangular, obliquely broken. Rev: No details visible due to corrosion. Size: 0.91 × (-) × 0.16 cm, weight: 0.46 g. Coin 9. Find No. 337 (Context: 711), Tr. D2. Obv: Branched tree with partly visible railing, taurine Period 2. Fig. 9.2. symbol on right-side top corner of the tree, indistinct Copper alloy, squarish, broken into two pieces, cor- symbol on the left side of the tree at the bottom, the left roded, cracked. side upper portion is cut off. Size: 1.90 × 1.78 × 0.78 cm, weight: 6.28 g. Rev: A tree with oval leaves to right. Obv: Hollow cross is faintly visible. Note: This coin is similar to No. 12 in fabric and in the Rev: Unidentifiable due to flaking of the surface. main symbol. 218 M. Kasturi Bai and Shailendra Bhandare (with an appendix by D. Kennet) Fig. 9.2: Coins 9 (337), 12 (535), 14 (538), 52 (493), 13 (648) and 25 (379). Chapter 9 The Coins 219 Satavahana coins can be safely attributed to Kosikiputa Siri Satakani, by comparison with published specimens (Chumble 1991: 41–50) and also on the basis of a distinct ancil- ‘Elephant’-type coins in copper lary symbol, a Shrivatsa placed below the mouth of the elephant. Coin 15. Find No. 724 (Context: 1072), Tr. A. Period 3-temple. Fig. 9.3. Coin 20. Find No. 57 (Context: 320), Tr. A. Copper, rectangular, worn out. Period 4. Fig. 9.4. Size: 0.87 × 0.73 × 0.20 cm, weight: 0.71 g. Copper alloy, round, corroded and worn out, cracked. Obv: Traces of an elephant facing to right, traces of some Size: 1.90 × 0.51 cm, weight: 4.76 g. indistinct letters above the animal. Obv: Traces of an elephant facing to right, trunk hanging, Rev: Traces of Ujjain symbol. swastika (or Shrivatsa) above the head of the animal, indistinct letters. Coin 16. Find No. 495 (Context: 700), Tr. A. Rev: A series of dots in groups, a crescent like symbol is Period 3-temple. visible but unidentifiable. Copper alloy, squarish, fragment, corroded, worn out. Size: (-) × (-) × 0.37 cm, weight: 0.43 g. Coin 21. Find No. 55 (Context: 303), Tr. A. Obv: Traces of some indistinct symbol. Period 4. Fig. 9.4. Rev: Traces of part of an Ujjain symbol. Copper alloy, squarish, slightly broken with greenish patina, corroded. Coin 17. Find No. 745 (Context: 1099), Tr. A. Size: 1.25 × 1.15 × 0.35 cm, weight: 2.02 g. Period 2. Fig. 9.3. Obv: Elephant facing to right, trunk hanging is visible. Copper alloy, broken, squarish with greenish patina. Rev: Worn out and traces of indistinct symbols. Size: 1.70 × (-) × 0.45 cm, weight: 5.29 g. Obv: Indistinct symbols and not discernable due to Coin 22. Find No. 46 (Context: 303), Tr. A (TP–3). worn out condition and patina. Period 4. Fig. 9.4. Rev: Corroded and worn out, however traces of two orbs Copper alloy, round with greenish patina, worn out, of an Ujjain symbol are visible. slightly cracked. Size: 1.45 × 1.40 × 0.30 cm, weight: 1.47 g. Coin 18. Find No. 02 (Context: surface), Tr. A. Obv: Faintly visible elephant facing to right with trunk Surface. Fig. 9.3. hanging, enclosed in a dotted circle that is partly visible, Copper alloy, round, corroded, cracked, worn out. legend along the flan is illegible. Size: 1.49 × 1.50 × 0.36 cm, weight: 2.02 g. Rev: Worn out, nothing can be made out. Obv: Faint traces of an elephant. Rev: Faint traces of an Ujjain symbol. Coin 23. Find No. 118 (Context: 513), Tr. A. Unattributable period. Coin 19. Find No. 188 (Context: 435), Tr. A. Copper alloy, round, slightly broken, cracked to the Period 4. Fig. 9.3. core, worn out.