Copper
circa 113-127 CE
North India
CSMVS
Details
Culture/Civilisation
Ancient India, India
Theme
Writing
Subtheme
India and China – Language and Society
Display Location
Coomaraswamy Hall
Measurements
Diameter. 25mm Weight. 16.46gm
Accession Number
7445
Description
Ancient coins (and stone inscriptions) show that India has been a multilingual society for several thousand years. The coins combine both official and local languages – Indian and foreign – written in different scripts on the same coin.
Curators Comments
Ruler: Kushana king Vima Kadphises
Obv: King standing, face turned to left, right hand lowered on to a fire altar and left clasping hilt of sword; trident with battle-axe on left; tamagha and club on right; Greek inscription (mostly effaced and truncated) BASILEOS BASILEON SOTER MEGAS OOEMO KADPHISES
Rev: Kharoshthi inscription (partly seen)
Siva standing, leaning against humped bull standing to right, holding trident with right hand, and resting left elbow on hump of bull; nandipada in left field; Kharoshthi inscription (partly effaced) maharajasa rajadirajasa sarvaloga isvarasa mahisvarasa vima kathaphishasa tradara