Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 268

242
TILE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
( DECEMBER, 1932
ground that it has no jayamohana. From all other money was coined in India as early as the third features, however, such as curvature of Kikhara, milleniurn before Christ. If this theory were stylo of ornamentation, relation of decoration to correct it would be strange that such a valuablo architecture and so forth, it is clear that temples discovery had not spread westwards and that no without a jugumohana were not a group by them. traces of it had remained except in literature. selves but were variation contemporary with or Following Cunningham, Professor Chakrabortty posterior, as the case may be, to the first group. thinks that Indian coinage may have begun ng Again, this first group of tomplos Banerji considers early as 1000 B.O. and he holds that its origin can. to be represented by (1) Parasuramosvars at Bhu- not be later than 800 B.C. bancávar, (2) the twin temples of Gandharadi in A chapter on weights and denominations which the Baudh Stato, discovered by him, and (3) Muk summariaes the information in the Sanskrit classics tovar (Bhuvanevar) in chronological sequenco.
is not altogether clear; and another on the metro, The stylistic considerations do not, howover, sup
logy of the coins themselves is also not well arranged. port his placing the Gandharadi templos prior to
It is not correct to conclude (p. 68) that India had Mukteśvar, and perhaps the partiality of the dis
not progressed to the stage of gold coins before the coverer for his discovory may be accountable Kushånas. Gold coins of the successors of Alexander for it.
are known, though rare. The absence of silver The 'subsequent chapter deals with “Plastic coins of the Kushåpas is due not to the linking of Art." Very rightly the sculptures of Utkala are gold to copper (p. 79), but to the existence of a considered apart from those of Kalinga. The for. copious amount of silver coins in the country, mer are analysed with considerable insight and which had been struck by the predecessors of this Assigned to fairly well-substantiated periods, though dynasty. A similar blank, but in the copper coinage in the latter group the treatmont is a bit superficial. of northern India, is to be observed in the seventeenth It would bn unfair to blamo an author for these century. Kush&pa copper coins evidently had a long shortcomings of his posthumous publication. Al. currency as the worn condition of specimens show, though they lack consistency of treatment, they are and they were probably still existing during the courageous attempts, offer many suggestions and Gupta period, and obviated the necessity for fresh placo many now problems before the student. coinage then. It is most improbable that copper was
the differences of opinion such as those ever A mere token currency in the period dealt noted above, it cannot be denied that the work of with (p. 80). R. D. Banerji is of extreme interest and much In the undeveloped condition of the country about value. And it is not possible to thank Babu Rama.
the boginning of the Christian era it is not difficult nand Chatterji sufficiently for helping the publicato account for the variations in weights by dofects tion of such a work. It is devoutly hoped that in manufacture, rather than by attempts to measuro other Indian journalists and publishers will follow small and caual variations in the relative values his worthy example by arranging for the publica- of metals. Moreover, the published material does tion of original works on Indian History by the
not give a sufficiontly long series of weights on serious students of this subject who find it well- which to base final conclusions. Fresh light on nigh impossible to bring them out themselves as these questions may soon be expected when the Kubera has just now fied away from Bharatavarsha, British Museum Catalogue of Ancient coins is pub. leaving Sarasvati forelorn.
lished. It should also be of great assistance in D. R. BHANDARKAR.
dealing with the question of the authority which
issued the punch-marked coins (chap. VI), on A STUDY OF ANCIENT INDIAN NUMISMATICS, by S. K.
which the author takes the later view, that these CHAKRABORTTY, M.A., M.R.A.S., Professor of
are state and not private coins. History, Ananda Mohan College, Mymensingh. The most valuable portion of the book is the last Published by the author, 1931. Rs. 5 or 88.
chapter, in which there is a brief summary of the This little book is a useful digest of the present classes of coins which occur, and an analysis of their knowledge of the indigenous coinage of India up types with full references to the authorities. This to the third century A.D., with special reforence to is a method which has had fruitful results in the Northern India. It has been prepared after a care- dating of Greek and Roman coins, and descrves to ful study of the literature on the subject, but not be pursued. A few notes on these may be offered. apparently with much personal acquaintance with the Dr. V. A. Smith's reading of 'drama' on the actual coins. The most notable omissions from the Yaudheya coins (p. 223) is not supported by the list of authorities used are Prinsop's Indian Anti- coins themselves, and the equation to the Greek quities odited by E. Thomas, a book which is still drachm is improbable. Bhagavata on the Aulum. the main authority for certain classes of ancient bara coins may mean worshippers,' as on the Indian coins, and the series of papers by Professor Gupta silver coins, and need not refer to a god Rapeon on Ancient Indian Coins and Seals, whtch (p. 161). Cunningham's reading of Barandiya on appeared in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
the coins of Gomitra is probably incorrect (r. 175). after his valuable book in Bühler's Grundriss.
The identification of three elephants with riders A preliminary chapter on the evolution of coinage,
on a type of Muttra coin (p. 203) is due to imperfect taken frorn well-known authorition is followed by specimens, and the device is really a trident with ono dealing with the problem of the origin of coin garlands hanging from it. The namo read doubt. ago in India. Here the author combata, as most fully as Ghosha on another Muttra coin (p. 202) scholars have done, the argument by Professor should be Siva Ghoga, a satrap. Bhandarkar in his Carmichael lecturos, 1921, that!
R. BURN