Indian Antiquary Vol 21

SR No.: 032513
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 206

196
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
of a sufficiently satisfactory treatise is quite possible, though the task would be far from easy, and it might be difficult to find a publisher.
The absence, throughout the greater part of Mr. Rodgers' catalogue, of references to published catalogues of particular series renders it extremely troublesome to discover whether the Lahore collection contains any remarkable novelties or not, and, as regards most of the coinages, I cannot attempt to examine the collection in detail.
In a recent paper I ventured to doubt the rather hesitating assertion of Mr. Thomas that coins exist bearing the names both of Prithivi Raja and of his conqueror Muḥammad bin Sâm. But the billon coin described at page 35 sets my doubts at rest. The description is as follows:
"Billon:
:-one specimen, very rare, 48 [scil. grains]. Obv. Horseman, gefi . Sri Prithvi Raja Déva.' Thos. p. 18, no. 15. Rev. Bull, a, Sri Mahammad Sám.""
Pandit Ratan Narayan of Dehli also possessed a specimen of this rare type. It is entered as unique in the privately printed catalogue of his collection.
The confused arrangement of the book under review must be my apology for referring next to coins of earlier date.
Nos. 5-8, described at page 53, are coins of the Gupta period, or possibly a little later. No. 5, the only one at all distinct, is thus described by Mr. Rodgers:
"Wt. 113-2. Diameter. 75. Obv. King in armour, standing to right, left hand grasps a staff, right hand is making an offering at an altar. Above right arm is a trisûl with fillet. Under left arm Pasana or Pasata, letters one above the other as on Gupta coins. To right (P) indefinite. Rev. Female seated on throne, holds cornucopia in left hand, and in right a wreath, as on Gupta coins. To left a monogram not well defined."
I am indebted to Mr. Rodgers for inspection of another specimen of this class. The metal seemed to me to be brass (possibly very impure gold) and the obverse legend clearly to be Pasata. The legend outside the spear (staff) was illegible, and the reverse was without legend. I cannot assign these coins.
A copper coin of Toramana is catalogued on page 54. "Obv. Seated figure to right (). Rev. Standing figure to left, fat...." Coins of this type are said to be common Mr. Rodgers seems to have overlooked the paper by Mr. Fleet
[JUNE, 1892.
on "The Coins and History of Toramâna," ante, Vol. XVIII. pp. 225-230.
Like so many branches of Indian numismatics, the coinages of Toramâna and Mihirakula require further examination. Mr. Rodgers catalogues a few specimens of Mihirakula's copper coinage at page 141, but characteristically omits the king's name from his index.
In his notice of 84 specimens of punch-marked coins (page 110) Mr. Rodgers makes the odd observation that "no paper that I am aware of has ever been written on these punch-marked coins." A good deal has been written on the subject.
The description of a few specimens of the well known Varâha coins, (p. 112) ignores the demonstration by Dr. Hultzsch that they were struck by King Bhôja of Kanauj in the latter part of the ninth century A. D. (Epigraphia Indica, Vol. I. p. 155, note.)
The Supplement contains some novelties, thus ;
Two small silver coins of 'Ali, an early Governor of Sindh (page 6) are stated to be "now published for the first time."
On pages 8 and 9 several new coins of the Sultans of Ghazni are described.
(Rizfya) is noticed on page 17. An unpublished variety of the coins of Razia
Two of the exceedingly rare silver coins struck by Humayan at Kandahar are catalogued on page 26.
One of the rare zodiacal coins of Jahangir, with the sign Taurus, is described on page 27.
V. A. SMITH.
31st Jan. 1892.
Postscript.
Since the above review was written, I have received a copy of a most valuable little book entitled, Coins of Ancient India from the Earliest Times down to the Seventh Century, A. D., by Major-General Sir A. Cunningham, (Quaritch, 1891). This work, which is illustrated by thirteen autotype plates of coins, and a map of N.-W. India, describes the punch-marked min tages, and the coins of Taxila, Odumbara, the Kunindas, Kosambi, the Yaudhêyas, Pañchâla, Mathura, Ayodhya, Ujain, Eran or Erakaina, the Andhras, Kârwâr, and Nêpâl. It marks a great advance in the study of Indian numismatics. I hope to have an opportunity of noticing it more at length.
14-2-92.
V. A. S.