Vol. VI, No. 4.] History and Ethnology of N.-E. India — I. 161 



[N.S.] 



coinage. It may also be possible that another coin of these 

 kings is the coin in Bengali characters bearing the name of Jaya 



&aka % described bv Mr 



Notes 



was 



Khaspu 



materials in Assam (Report, p. 4). 



Mr. Gait does not give any measurements for his Jaintia 

 quarter-coins. The Maibong coin measures -82" across and -88" 

 from top to bottom, while its weight is 38*4 grains. This weight 

 is approximately one-quarter the weight of the Jaintia coin 

 No. 9, previously described. 1 



E. — The Origin of the Assamese Coinage. 



The influence exerted by the Muhammadan coinage did 

 not extend merely over the Kochs and Jaintias, for a careful 

 examination shows that the Assamese coinage is similarly 

 modelled on another variety of HusainI coins. To understand 

 this we must return for a moment to a consideration of the 

 Muhammadan invasions of Assam in the first half of the 

 16th century. The Buranjis state that the Muhammadans in 1527 

 advanced up the Brahmaputra valley under command of the 

 Great Vizier, but were defeated and fled, losing 40 horses and a 

 similar number of cannon. The Muhammadans again advanced 

 in 1531 and fighting continued for two years, on or near the 

 Brahmaputra, a little to the east of Tezpur. In the first year 

 the Muhammadans were defeated and their commander Bit 

 Malik slain. The following year, 1532, the Muhammadans 

 were largely reinforced and were completely successful, the 

 Ahoms being defeated, both in April and again after the 

 Rains, while Suklenmun, the son of the Ahom King, was severely 



1 Since this paper was read the question as to whether Kacharl 

 coins were ever struck has been settled by the receipt on loan from 

 Mr. F. E. Jackson, C.S., Deputy Commissioner, Caehar, of a silver coin 

 minted by Govinda Chandra, the last Kacharl King (1813 1830). The 

 whole of the inscription, which is in Bei all characters, cannot be 

 deciphered, but what has been made out with the help of Babu Rakhal- 

 das Banerji of the Archaeological Dept. is given below — 



Obverse. Reverse. 



(i) m tft (i) f?^n 



(2) f^F53PIT (2) * iff * 1 * 1 



(3) ?tt*t[?] (3) 5£r*T5ft 



(*) ft <*>(*)** to 



The coin is in the possession of a descendant of Govinda Chandra's 

 Prime Minister, and, as it is said to be the only one in existence, the 

 ownfT refuses to part with it. It is ,( Xl" in diameter, and weighs 175 '7 5 

 grains. As may be seen from the reproduction given at the end of this 

 paper, it is struck from a good cKe. (25-1-10). 



