Coinage of central India :: with special reference to early coins from the Narmada Valley R.K. Sharm

Coinage of central India : with special reference to early coins from the Narmada Valley, 9788173054068, Numismatics
Descerption: Central India: comprising the two present-day states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, has yielded countless, strikingly variegated coins, seals, sealings and inscriptions, which have been prolifically used for the reconstruction of the region’s ancient history and culture – from c. 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD. The coins, seals and sealings, found here, are important not only from the viewpoint of political history, but for the religious and economic histories as well.

Scholars have also used them for tracing the development of writing as well as for the study of fine arts. During the rolling centuries, Central India has been under the sway of myriad dynasties: significantly great and small. This book considers the entire numismatic source material, discovered here, under two categories: (a) The indigenous coins issued or circulated by the royal families, and (b) Coins of dynasties, ruling elsewhere, that infiltrated into this region through political expansion, trade and commerce. To these coins are added a variety of coins that passed through pilgrimage and continued to a part of local currency system.

Considering the colossal size of the currency discovered in the entire geographical sprawl of Central India, this study is confined to the Narmada Valley -- which, in itself, stays unrivalled in the immensity of numismatic finds. Exploring the tradition of coinage in the Central India – as a whole, the book comes to offer a critical study of the early coinage of Narmada Valley. Examined here, in detail, are a variety of punch marked coins, uninscribed coins, and coins of city states/local rulers; besides coins issued by major dynasties, like Sunga-Kanvas, Satavahanas, Saka-Ksatrapas, and Kusanas. On the basis of these coins, R.K. Sharma also tries to make out the cultural ethos of Narmada Valley. Together with numerous plates showing hundreds of coins, he sets out ‘bibliographic data’ as well of the region’s numismatic source material. Dr R.K. Sharma, (b. 1932), is former Professor and Head, Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Jabalpur University, Jabalpur.