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JUNE, 1898.]
CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE.
141
CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE.
BY R. C. TEMPLE. (Continued from p. 121.)
Burmese Standard Weights. THE Burmese Kings, after a very ancient and well-known fashion in Oriental countries,
1 have long issued "standard weights" cast by an interesting variety of the cire perdue process. The subject is still very obscure and requires far more enquiry than I have been able to bestow on it, and all I can do now is to present to the student the information available to me. The accompanying Plate, due to the courtesy of the authorities of the British Museum, showe all the forms given to the weights that have come my way.
The ordinary forms to be found in the Burma bazars are those of the hinda (hansa), and the standard weights are consequently usually known as the Hina Weights (figs. 3, 4, 6, 10, 11 and 13 of the Plate). But it will be seen that other figures have been used:- Elephant (s'in, fig. 2); Bull (nwadi, figs. 5, 8, and 9); Monkey (myauk, fig. 7); Lion (mythical, chingé, fig. 1); Lion (mythical, tó, fig. 12).67
The references to the subject in writers on Burma and the Far East seem to be few and superficial. Indeed, all that I have found are those that follow:
1786. - "Leurs poids (à Pegu) sont faits de font ou de cuivre et ont la forme d'un animal quelconque." - Journal par le Sr. Flouest, Lieutenant de fregate auxiliaire depuis le 12 Fevrier 1872 jusqu'au 28 Mars 1786, in Toung Pao, Vol. II. p. 41.
c. 1795. - Money scales and weights are all fabricated at the capital, where they are stamped, and afterwards circulated throughout the Empire; the use of any others is prohi.. bited." - Symes, Ava, p. 326
1826. - "Every shopkeeper has a small box, containing scales to weigh bullion given in payment for commodities: the weights are modelled after the figure of griffins, cows, etc." - Alexander, Travels, p. 21.
1826. - "Weights (in Tavai and Mergai). These are the same that are used throughout tne Burmese Empire, which are made at Ava and distributed to the provinces. They change their shapes on the accession of a new king. The present weights are called To-alle, or Lion weights, as they represent that animal according to the Bnrmese conception of it. Those of the last reign are termed Bansa-alle, being made in the shape of the Hansa or goose. The weight of both kinds is the same." - Wilson, Documents of the Burmese War, Appx., p. lxi.
1829. – "The representations of the different Burmese weights are uniform and woll regulated. They consist of masses of brass, of which the handle, or apex, represents the fabulous bird which is the standard of the empire." - Crawfurd, Ava, p. 384.
1835. — "The other (Burmese) weights are of brass, handsomely cast and polished." - Malcom, Travels, Vol. I. p. 276.
1845. — "The Government of Ava send from the capital, sets of standard weights (ales) for the use of the provinces. The present are called tôalés, being surmounted by the figure of a tia, the mythical Lion of Boodhism, 48 and the present cognisance of Burma. The former were styled
45 Ridgeway, Origin of Currency, pp. 128 f., 270 ff.
46 The present writer has presented to the Oxford Museum a complete set of articles explaining the entire proces of casting, from the die to the finished weight. The wax cores for the process were made by being run into deeply sunk iron dies of skilful workmanship. The process is a very old one in the Far East for the manufacture of money. Terrier de la Couperie, Cat. Chinese Coins, p. xxviii., note. * All presented to the British Museum,
Phayre, Int. Num. Or., Vol. III. p. 31, says that the ti is "supposed to be a compound of horse and deer."
