Amongst the coins of North India the landmark change in the history of numismatic world in Indian continent came with the introduction of silver or silver plated coins having king's face to the right on the obverse and an altar on the reverse during the later phase of the Gupta Empire. These coins were in circulation in huge quantity over seven hundred years (500-1200 AD) in Northern India that bears in them the history of a number of monarchs and rulers of the country is still little known. Mordtmann (1854) who owns the honour of giving information about the Indo-Sassanian coins was probably the first to reveal the Devnagari script on some of these coins. However, he did not study these coins in detail as this was considered to be a difficult series to be tackled.
The present study gives a comprehensive and systematic view of the coins based on a vast survey of coin and coin hoards lying in different museums all over India. More than sixty coin hoards and a number of stray finds have been studied in detail. The origin, track, circulation and numismatic detail were found out. This is a landmark discovery in the history of numismatic world that removes old dogmas and beliefs about so called Indo Sassanian coins.
Studies reveals that Aravali is the origin of these coins where two series of coins were introduced one at Sakhun near Sambhar and the other at Kakarwa near Chittor or Ahore near Jalore in Rajasthan. These coins were of silver metal, flat thin fabric based on Peroz type of coins.
From Sambhar hoard at least four new names of kings first time came in notice in the numismatic history of these coins. The initials Ε were ナ depicted in Brahmi script. The successive issues of these coins formed an empire in the East of Aravali, which extended in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana.
Another important series of silver coins that were introduced at Kakarwa in Chittor or Ahore in Jalore districts of Rajasthan formed the basis of an empire in the West of Aravalis. These coins were un-inscribed. The successive issues of these coins have been recovered from Western Rajasthan, Gujarat, Sindh, Kathiawad, Maharashtra and Western Madhya Pradesh. A hoard of silver coins of about one hundred thousand coins was unearthed from Kasindra near Sirohi is the biggest hoard of the series ever reported in India.
Thus a clear picture that emerges out of this study reveals that these two series were in circulation simultaneously in two different directions of Aravali could be termed as Aravali series East and Aravali series West.
This is first time that origin, exact find spots with areas of circulation of early, transitional and late issues have been reported through various maps. The types. subtypes and their salient features have been shown through photographs along with numismatic details. Lady attendants one on either side of altar with different dresses and styles have been presented through magnified photographs.
The circulation of coins having Brahmi 'Sa' letter in globe of the crown indicate about a dynasty who ruled for a long period. The later coins having proto Nagari letter 'Sr above headgear were in circulation in North East of Rajasthan.
Earlier renowned scholars like Mortdmann, Bhagwan lal Indraji, Cunningham, Rapson, Smith, Unwala, Webb, Lallanji Gopal, Paruck, Bela Lahiri, Samar, Mitchiner etc. have given their valuable information about these coins but only a few flashes here and there on the basis of some regional hoards. So we do not have any clear and coherent picture about these coins.
This is first time that on the basis of vast survey and critical examination of coin hoards a comprehensive information is available that includes the origin, exact name of places from where the coins were recovered, their types and sub types along with the areas of circulation and salient features of each type.
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