Imperial Punchmarked Coins of Ancient India: A CaseStudy of Darai Dangri Hoard, Varansi

Authors (s): Savita Sharma (Author)
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9788173055461
Pages: xiv+238p., B/w Illustrations 217; 22 X 28cm.
Pub. date: 31.05.2016, 1st. ed.
Publisher: Aryan Books International
Language (s): English BagcheeID: BB102124
List price: US $ 180,00
Bagchee price: US $ 162,00
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India's indigenous coinage is rich and varied,distinguished by regional, cultural and linguistic features andrepresenting imperial and political associations. The class ofcoins that finds frequent mention in ancient Indian epigraphs andliterary sources is the karsapana. Karsapana, also known asPurana or Dharana, are the punch-marked coins which were incirculation throughout ancient India. Many hoards of silverpunch-marked coins have been located in sites all over thecountry. Its widespread availability suggests that it was astandard medium of exchange from about the 6th century BCE.

Every new discovery of a treasure-trove has something new toadd to the mine of knowledge extensively compiled by scholars. Anearthen pot containing 333 ancient silver punch-marked coins wasfound in July 1997, from Sarai Dangri village, Varanasi whiledigging the foundation of a primary school building. These coinswere handed over to Bharat Kala Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi in 1998 by the District Magistrate of Varanasi. Thestudy of these coins forms the subject matter of this volume.Coins in this hoard, classified as Imperial Karsapana, aredatable to circa 4th century to 2nd century BCE, comprisingseventy-six varieties.

The volume is divided into four parts: Part I commences withan explanatory introduction outlining the importance of thishoard. This also serves as a comprehensive backdrop of thepresent study; Part II covers classification and cataloguing.Here an attempt has been made to refer to most of the publishedmaterial and views, with drawings and illustrations of obverseand reverse of each variety in tabulated form; Part IIIincorporates the observations on the present study and includestables of the symbols in detail, as well as a brief descriptionon extra-marks and half-coins; Part IV comprises appendices onweights and chemical analysis based on some coins of the hoard,an EDS Report, dispersal of coins, list of hoards and abibliography.

The volume should be of immense help to students and scholarsof numismatics. They will gain a deeper insight and understandingof Indian numismatics in general and about this remarkable seriesof silver punch-marked coins in particular.

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