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August, 1877.]
ARCHÆOLOGICAL NOTES.
215
ARCHÆOLOGICAL NOTES. BY M. J. WALHOUSE, LATE M.O.S.
(Continued from page 42.)
XV.-Gold treasure-trove in Madras. TN vol. II. of Col. Yule's edition of the Travels the fear of the ignorant finders, and of the
L of Marco Polo, pp. 305-311, there is an ac- whole great treasure only about thirty pieces count of the once famous port of Kail, in were rescued, in a manner showing how insuTinnivelly, near the extreme southern cape of the perable popular suspicions are in such an affair. Peninsula. In Marco Polo's time it belonged to On approaching a village where it was thought Aslar, the eldest of five brother-kings who ruled there might be some of the coins, a little girl the regions of the south. "At this city," says was seen running away from it carrying a small Marco, "touch all ships that come from the west earthen chat, and happening to fall in her haste --from Hormos, Aden, and Arabia." Its site is the chat broke and thirty coins rolled out, which ascertained to have been on the Tamraparni appear to have been all that escaped the meltriver, at a spot now one and a half miles from its ing-pot. It would be unsafe to estimate from mouth,--of old probably nearer the sea, on a back- this scanty remnant the general character of water, whence its name (káyal in Tamil = a the whole great hoard, which there is reason to backwater); and ruins of old fortifications, tem- believe did amount to thousands, all gold, but the ples, wells, tanks, everywhere for three or four few that escaped were of Muhammadan coinage, miles along the coast, attestits ancient wealth and except one piece of Johanna of Naples (A.D. 1343. importance, while the whole plain for a mile and 82); from this it may be concluded that Spanish, a half inland is covered with mounds, tiles, and Portuguese, and Venetian broad pieces, such as broken pottery, amongst which pieces of china- were wont to be used in the old traffic with the ware are not uncommon. Diggings in those East, were not wanting in the hoard. Could but mounds would probably discover much of anti- the circumstances be told in which this remarkquarian interest. Except the above-mentioned able golden treasure was amassed, concealed, and vestiges, the great and populous city has dis- lost, what a strange story might be revealed! appeared from the face of the earth, its name Of other golden finds in Madras territories, a surviving only in tradition, and its site till of large quantity of Roman gold coins was found in late uncertain. Tutacorin, a few miles farther | 1787 near N ellûr, under the remains of a small up, is now the rising and frequented port. Hindu templo; there were many coins of Trajan,
Between two and three years ago a remark. and several as fresh and beautiful as if just from able discovery of gold coin was made in the the mint. (See 48. Res. vol. II. p. 332.) Five tract once occupied by the ancient port. Some pieces of the Emperors were dug up at Karur, coolies, whilst digging a water-channel at some in Koimbatar, in 1806; and in the same district distance inland, dug up a large globular metal I have twice known small cháutis containing vessel, the lips of the mouth of which had been several hundreds of the minute spangle-like turned down and beaten together go as to close Hindu coins, popularly called Shânâr cash, the opening completely. The vessel contained with which all Southern India seems sown (see gold coins to the amount, it is believed, of some Ind. Ant. vol. III. p. 191), to have been turned thousands-principally, it would seem, Muham- up in ploughing. I remember, too, when the madan; but the treasure was instantly divided right of excavating and searching for coin in the amongst the finders, and almost the whole of extensive old mud fort at Dharapuram, in it melted down! The energetic Collector of Koimbatûr, was rented out and farmed-an item the province, Mr. R. K. Puckle, from whom in the district accounts-gold coins were said to I received the account, as soon as the news be found there frequently. A potful of Roman of the find oozed out and reached him, used aurei is also reported to have been found near all means of encouragement and persuasion to Sola pûr in 1840 : only a few were preserved. induce the people to bring him any of the In Asia, as in Europe, the amount of treasurecoins, offering a reward for them beside their trove preserved has ever been lamentably small intrinsic value as gold; but this only increased in proportion to the amount discovered.
