at one end of the series, evidently reach at the other to the brahmanical rulers of the Panjáb, and probably Kábul. They are procured much more abundantly at the latter place (and on the site of Taxila, according to M. Court) than in any part of India. Some of them exhibit on their reverse the style of Arabic now known to belong to the Ghaznavi Sultáns, while others agree rather with the Ghorí type, and contain known names of that dynasty.

[In the absence of the coin itself, it would be rash to speculate upon the true purport of this obverse, or the tenor and language of the partially-visible legend. The reverse figure of the horseman, however, offers tempting material for the exercise of analytical ingenuity.

That the lines of which the device is composed were originally designed to convey, in more or less intelligible cypher, some Moslem formula, there can be little question. How much latitude in the definite expression of the letters was conceded to the needful artistic assimilation to the normal type, it may be difficult to say. But, though I should hesitate to pretend that my eye could follow the several letters of the full

have no doubt that those words محمد رسول الله kalimah of

are covertly embodied in the lines forming portions of the general outline. The Kufic is palpable, when reading upwards from the front of the butt-end of the spear; portions of the J may be traced along the spear itself, and the rest may be imagined under the reasonable latitude already claimed; and, lastly, the may be conceded in virtue of its very obvious final, which appears over the horse's hind-quarters.'

[While on the subject of Tughrás, I may claim excuse for noticing a most interesting example of the numismatic employment of early Kufic characters in the construction of a Sassanian device, which, though possibly emanating from a different site, and due to another period, connects itself not inappropriately with the

The practice of reticulating words and names into device embellishments for the coinage was in high favour with Sámání mint-masters;1 and we have numerous instances of a similar tendency among the Muhammadan races who succeeded to much of the civilization of the Bukhárá empire, with the modified boundaries or altered seats of government, incident to their progress towards the richer provinces of the South. To confine myself to a single exemplification, however, I may cite the Ghaznaví (Láhor) currency, with the recumbent bull in Tughrá on the obverse, and with a Kufic legend on the reverse. In the lines of this ancient and revered Hindú device, may here be read, in all facility and in two several directions, the name of the prophet of the Arabs―.2]

outlines of some of the figures in the present plate (xxxiii. 7, etc.) The coin to which I allude is in the cabinet of the late Col. Stacy: it is of copper, and imperfect striking or extended circulation has rendered its epigraph illegible in some of its most important details.

The obverse device consists of a mutilated Sassanian head, looking to the right, obviously composed of the wordsarranged in three lines.

A dot in the open portion of the

رسول الله

chin, and the initial symbolises the eyebrow and the lower line of the tiara. Of the exterior legends the only word I am able to read with certainty is the in the front of the profile.

On the reverse, expressed in jumbled letters, may be traced the words

باله

الله وحده لا شريك له

while the margin supplies the opening term, Ja, and, doubtfully, the introductory portion of the central legend, d, and the remaining two sides are

Although I am unable to discover any similitude between this reverse device and the conventional fire-altar and supporters, I cannot but infer that some such notion was intended to be conveyed; otherwise, it is difficult to account for the needless transposition of the legends, and the sacrifice of the normal forms of the Kufic letters in the centre of the piece, while the side portions of the design, which have nothing to do with the main device, are expressed in excellently-fashioned characters. (See also Fræhn, 'Die Münzen,' pl. xvi. figs. & and ; 'Novæ Symbolæ,' tab. ii. 14; ‘Jour. As. Soc. Beng.', 1840, Capt. Hay's coins, figs. 6, 7)]

1 [Fræhn's 'Recensio Numorum Muhammedanorum:' Emiri Samanidæ. Petropoli, 1826.]

2 [ Ex. gr., see 'Kings of Ghazní :' Jour. Roy. As. Soc., pl. iii. 153.]

Several of

The

Fig. 3, a silver coin in my cabinet (Karámat 'Alí). the same nature are depicted by Masson, as noticed above. execution is very bold, and the preservation equally good. A double blow has, however, confused the impression on the reverse.

The head-dress or helmet is surmounted by the head of a buffalo, in imitation, perhaps, of Menander's elephant trophy. The two wings common on the Sassanian cap are still preserved. The prince wears a profusion of pearls and handsome earrings. In front of his face is a legend in an unknown character, which can, however, be almost exactly represented by Nágarí numerals, thus: 318 03

2. None

of the pure Pehlví is to be seen on either face, but on the shoulder in the corner is something like a Nágarí H, which is probably an m, not a bh. The fire-altar of the reverse is remarkable from the two 'wheels' or chakras over the officiating priests. We shall see more of these as we descend.

Fig. 4 is a silver coin in Swiney's possession: it is of inferior workmanship, the features beginning to be cut in outline. A diminutive figure (female) in front of the face holds a flower or cornucopia: just above can be discerned two small Sanskrit letters-ufa prati (or pratá)-which suffice to ally the coin with our present group.

[The interesting collection of coins made by Col. Abbott of the Bengal Artillery, chiefly gathered from the Hazárah country, of which he was once in political charge, enables me to add some novelties to Prinsep's solitary specimen of the IndoSassanian coinage, having legends exclusively in Sanskrit characters.

The bilingual and trilingual mintages of associated types will be reserved for consideration under Art. XX., in which Prinsep records his latest advances towards their definitive explication.

Fig. 1 represents the small figure in front of the profile, as it occurs on a coin in the British Museum, which is almost identical in its other typical details with the example delineated as No. 4, pl. xxxiii. The concluding letters of the name- दित्य — are all that remain visible on this piece.

...

(No. 1.)

The woodcut No. 2 is taken from a coin of Col. Abbott's. I read the name, subject to correction, as पूर्मदित्य Pürmaditya.

(No. 2.)

In regard to Nos. 3 and 4, I may note that the former is copied, by Mr. Austin's artist, from a coin of Col. Abbott's; while the latter was engraved by myself some years ago from a piece in the possession of Col. Nuthall, Bengal Army. The name of the monarch is here indubitable, and reads, satisfactorily, on either piece, Udayáditya. The opening title of राजा Rájá is equally clear; but the succeeding three letters present a difficulty-not so much in the definition of the isolated characters, as in the purport and meaning that should be assigned to the combination. They may be transcribed in modern type by, which, it is just possible, may refer to the kingdom of Lumghán, though I hardly like to suggest the association.

(No. 4.)

Of Udayádityas, there is a choice in the annals of the land; and one individual thus entitled even gave his name to

an era.1

No. 5, in its device, exhibits an altered style of art. It is chiefly interesting as displaying on its field an umbrella-one of the Indian attributes of royalty-surmounted by the figure of Siva's bull, Nandi. trident behind the head connects the piece with the Indo-Scythian branch of local

1 [A.D. 614. Jour. As. Soc. Beng.', p. 548.]

The

(No. 5.)

2 [This emblem is noteworthy to a degree that it would not otherwise be, as furnishing us with an explanation of the meaning of its imitations on subsequent specimens of the coinage, where the umbrella appears under the similitude of an

numismatics. The legend is imperfect, and seems to commence with जयतु, which is succeeded by the letters पिहङ or ड.

Mr. Bayley has two specimens of later examples of this class of coinage-the one bearing the symbol of a full-blown flower (possibly the Sun), and an imperfect legend which I doubtingly transcribe as श्री यसः रजय.

The second, which adds to its device the 'trident' emblem of No. 5, has a legend commencing Jug.

...

Other coins in Col. Abbott's collection have the letters and of coins containing the latter title, I can quote numerous examples.']

The two succeeding figures are from Masson's drawings, some of which have already appeared in lithography. Fig. 5 represents rather a numerous class of the same type as fig. 3. The letter of the legend is sometimes omitted, and the ∞ becomes a ; but without examining the coins themselves, it would be unsafe to argue on such differences. No. 4 represents a variation of the monogram, it may be an old form of T.

Fig. 6 is an interesting coin, similar to my Vasudeva and the Manikyála coins, in some respects; but hardly so far advanced towards Hindúism, inasmuch as the fire-altar is retained, and the full marginal legend on both sides is in the unknown character, while the Nágarí occupies only a secondary place on the field. This name, too, is, as it stands in Masson's drawing, wholly uncertain, with the exception of the initial Srt Va. . . It may be श्रीवहरवखु. . ल्ल.'

ordinary club-at first retaining the pennons, but eventually losing nearly all trace of its nominal derivation.]

1[Jour. Roy. As. Soc.' xii. 341. 'Ariana Antiqua,' pl. xvi. 18, xvii. 611, xvi. 20, etc. In reference to this term, I may observe that Major Cunningham has announced the discovery of the name of Shápur on a coin of this series. If, however, the piece from which he professes to read this name be the one which has lately passed from his cabinet into the British Museum, I regret to be unable to confirm his decipherment; the is clear enough, but the rest of the designation is certainly not sufficiently palpable to justify the rendering proposed.]

2 [See 'Jour. Roy. As. Soc.,' xii. 345.]