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20
BACTRIAN-COINS AND INDIAN DATES.
original coin, after the final a in zaka, the Greek monogram B, which apparently represents the ancient province, or provincial capital, of Drangia.
AODO
MOMON
Modeli
ORHEAD
allo
KOMANDY
Dale
HERAUS, ŞAKA King.
Silver. British Museum. Unique. Obv, “Bust of a king, right, diademed and draped; border of reels
and beads. Rev. TYIANNOYNTOE hisor
ΣΑΚΑ
ΚΟΙIΑΝΟΥ.
(Τυραννούντος “Ηράου Σάκα κoιράνου.) A king, right, on horseback; behind, Nike, crowning him.2"
details as to the characteristics of Sikoha :-"The town, ... which derives its name from three clay or mud hills in its midst, is built in an irregular circular form around the base of the two principal hills. The southernmost of these hills is surmounted by the ark or citadel, an ancient structure known as the citadel of Mir Kuchak Khan. ... Adjoining this, and connected with it, is the second hill, called the Búrj-i-Falaksar, on which stands the present Governor's house; and about 150 yards to the west is the third hill, not so high as the other two, undefended. ... The two principal hills thus completely command the town lying at their base, and are connected with one another by a covered way." “Sekuha is quite independent of an extra-mural water supply, as water is always obtainable by digging a few feet below the surface anywhere inside the walls, which are twenty-five feet in height, strongly built.”—Major E. Smith, vol. i. p. 258.
1 The progressive stages of this Monogram are curious. We have the normal R-Mionnet, pl. i. No. 12; Lindsay, Coins of the Parthians, pl. xi. No. 7. Next we have the Bactrian varieties Rie B, and B, entered in Prinsep'o Esagya. ol. xi. c. No. 53; Num. Chron, vol. xix. 0.8. Noe. 48, 52, and vol. viii. na 'di. yü. Nos, 71, 72, and 76, and likewise Mionnet's varieties 299 : Ariana Antiqua, pl. xxii, No. 118. 2 I am indebted to Mr. P. Gardner for this woodcut. I retain his deacrintion
in as it appeared in the Numismatic Chronicle, 1874, vol. xiv. N.e. 161 It will be seen that Mr. Gardner failed to detect the worn outline of the Monogram