Indian Antiquary Vol 12

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 13

JANUARY, 1883.] INDO-SCYTHIAN COINS, WITH HINDI LEGENDS.
This is not the place to follow out, at large, writing not yet deciphered: then the alphaany of the curious coincidences, even this bare bet taught them by the Nestorians (and outline might suggest. But to revert to our communicated afterwards to the Mongols), numismatic documents, the number of mono- and last the Arabic."18 syllabic names in this series is singularly signi. From all that we can gather by the juxtaficant, in pointing to a Non-Aryan or Turanian position of imitative coin legends, it would and quasi-Chinese system of nomenclature. seem that the first official effort towards the II-KUSHANS.
creation of a special alphabet commenced, in this Mr. H. Rawlinson considers that the capital case, with a reproduction of the old Greek of the Kushans, in the time of Alexander, capital letters which had become fixed quanwas located at Nishậpûr-the then classical tities, in so many of the mechanical traditions Zoúria. If so, this section of the tribe must of the Eastern mints. The next onward movehave already moved downwards from one ment seems to imply a parallel resort to the of their acknowledged centres at Kushan small capitals, or current Greek-hand, which (Kabushận) on the Atreck-near which the was more likely to appeal in facility of expresfirst Arsa kes established his new citadel, at sion to the every day transections of a people Asa k-båd (Agaàx).'
who were only learning to write-the adoption We need not seek to follow the progress of of the Greek alphabet, in the first instance, by the leading camps in their southern course, but these untutored races must necessarily have may accept the main results, so far as their been encouraged by the fact that the official records on Indian soil extend. Their local language of their neighbours, the Parthians, inscriptions range geographically from Pinj- was simply Greek, the use of which so largely tar, in the Yusafzai country, to the celebrated intruded upon the language of the Romans in tope of Maniky Åla,' and to the eastward, as their eastern dominions. far as Mathura on the Jumnå.10
It is in this state of transition that we have Their aboriginal race and their language, to encounter the stray marginal legends of our in its adapted forms of writing, are also of the coins couched in an unknown tongue-which highest importance in the present enquiry. As we have still to seek to interpret." to the former, modern testimony, severed from
III-GADHIA BRANCH. antiquarian tendencies-distinctly points to a simple identification of the Kushang with the The designation of this section of the Scythic Uguirs" ("Kaotchang rendu par Oueïgour").
tribes seems to coincide, on the one part, with If we may accept this evidence as retrospective
the opening portion of the name of Gondomany of the difficulties still surrounding the phores the ΓΟΝΔΟΦΑΡΟΣ of the early Christian decipherment and interpretation of the coin
writers" and the synonymous Goda-phara legends will disappear. But, on the other
of the Semitic version on the Baktrian coins. hand, there is still much that is necessarily
On the other hand, the sept appellation appears vague and obscure in this direction.
to have been preserved in the conventional form The Rev. J. Edkins, an acknowledged
of the Gadhia-pysa of later times. So, also, authority under the Chinese aspect, tells us :
Gadhia itself is affirmed to have been a "The Turks of Ili live in large cities, and
cognomen of Vikramaditya, and in like have flourishing silk manufactures. They re
manner we have traces of the name in the tradipresent the Weigurs of the middle ages,
tional Gund-gurk, on the Indus," and may possiwho, in their literature, employed, first &
bly extend identifications from other sources.
13 The SakArt seems to have been recognised dialect J.R.A. 8. vol. XV, 0. 8. p. 239. The stel of the
in India. See Muir, Sane. Texts, vol. II, pp. 65-50. Persians. Isidore of Charay, chapter 11, J. R. A. Soc. 1871,
"The Latin Gundoferus, Legenda Aurea, p. 33,
Yule's Oathay, pp. 376-7. p. 15. Canningham Arch. Reports, vol. V, p. 61.
15 Variously written Gadaphara, Gandaphrata, and • Prinsep Essays, vol. I, p. 146.
Gudupha, Prinsep's Essays vol. II, p. 214, Pl. xliii. fig. 10 J. R. A, 8. vol. XX, p. 251.
15, Ariana Antiqua, p. 340. 11 Mahometiam en Chine, Paris, 1878, p. 7. Ibn
10 Auriana Antiqua, p. 410, Prinsep's Eanaye, vol. I, Khordadbah, in the IXth century speaks of the king of
P. 841, Jour. As. Soc. Bengal, 1835, p. 687; Ariatic Maverulnahr m still bearing the name of Kushan-shAh.
Remarches, vol. IX, p. 155. Journal Asiatique, 1865, p. 41.
"Abbott, J. 1. doc. Bengal, 1854, pp. 152-8 130-3, 145, The Phania, London July 1870, p. 5.
1 and 1888, pp. 217.