Indian Antiquary Vol 42

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 190

182
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1913.
Malay coins, but also the characters on it do not appear to be Arabic, as would be expected at that time. On the contrary, the type resembles the coins which were in use in the neighbouring countries to the North, either on the coast of Tenasserim or Burma. Pieces of a similar kind, probably called kebean, which I know, and of which I have seen a good specimen in the Musée Numismatique de La Haye, usually bear on the obverse a circle with an eight-pointed star, and round it a legend in Pali in Burmese characters, and on the reverse a fantastic figure of a quadruped, probably of a sinha or lion, or according to Phayre of a fabulous animal, called to or nayas in Burmese mythology, made up of a winged horse and a deer. Paulin de Saint Barthélémy (Fr. Paullinas), missionary to the Indies, was the first to attempt to explain one of these coins, and quite lately 45 Lt. Col. A. P. Phayre has given drawings of a number of those which are to be found in the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta [A. S. Bengal], but [both] without adding much light which would extend the knowledge of these numismatic remains.
The other coin (his Plate, Nos. 3 and 4) which Tavernier attributes to the King of Kedah and Perak is of quite a different character: "The little coin, (says he) passes at the value of 4 deniers." It is unfortunate that Tavernier's drawing is so badly executed, that it is difficult to decipher the legend. Still, I think I can distinguish the ordinary formula of the Mahammadan) creed-la illaha il'illahu muhammadi' r-rasulu'llahu: sarb f... sanat ? 1041? ... There is no God, but God : Muhammad is the Prophet of God : struck at ... year? 1041 ? (1631-2). Unfortanately the name of the town has been injured, se but it must be confessed that what remains visible does not appear to agree with the name of any known locality in the State. The date is also very doubtful. The type of this side of the coin) resembles the obverse. of the Persian coins of the Sufis ; but the Shiah formula [of the creed] Ali waliu' llah [Ali is the Prophet of God] is not visible in the drawing. The reverse, which seems smaller, does not bear anything but some ornaments. In the centre is an eight-pointed star, or rather a wheel, encircled by a garland of flowers and fruit, with a milled edge. Gemelli Careria, Giro del Mondo, Vol. II., p. 148, without quoting the source, has reproduced this coin the wrong way round.
2. p. 183. After Tavernier we find hardly any mention of Kedah coins. However, I have discovered one (which is published by Marsden), but having been wrongly read bas remained unrecognised. This piece is (what seems to me very remarkable) of silver... The obverse bears : bubalad Kadah daru' l-aman :47 sanat 1154, in the country (or kingdom) of Kedah, the abode of peace, year 1154 (1741-2).48
8. p. 137. In the Royal Numismatic Cabinet at the Hague I discovered a copper coin of Kedah, so far, unique. Its weight is 14 grs. The obverse bears... Kedah; the reverse, daru' l-aman: Kedah the abode of rest. The first word is too indistinct for me to dare to define it.50.. . This piece bears no date.
41 Million was however, not aware of the fact that the Burmese legend gives the mint in Pali as Mahasukha nagara, which exactly translates Daru' l-aman or Kedah, on the Kedah coins. see ante, p. 65.
12 Cf. J.R. 4. 8., 1836, III, 302. [This is, however, a mistake. The weight and value do not admit of the suggestion. These coins must have been about 6 cents in value (ante, p. 81), whereas the kebean = keping were worth about 1 cent. See the quotation from Wilson, Documents of the Burmese War, 1827, ante. p. 38 and Pl. V fig. 3.]
** This is really a compound expression, to-naya, a winged to.
Systema Brahmanicum liturgicum mytholigieun civile e monumentis Indicis Mussi Borgiani Velitris, Rome, 1791, p. 217, Pl. 31, No. 12. Phayre, J. A. 8. B. 1883, No. 291, pp. 271-3,
Millies is writing before 1866, when he died. 4 I entirely agree with Million roading and would like to go further and read warb i Kadah, struck at Kedah, ' dar is for dar.
** Plato XXII, figs. 231-232. Plate XXII, fig. 234.
40 May it not read belanja Kedah: Kedah, money,