228 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [April, 1910. 



letter in relief. The form of na is that to be found in inscrip- 

 tions of the Kushana period, viz., with a curved base line. 

 The letter da occurs only once (No. 37). There is a short 

 knob on its head, and if this be the mark for long then the 

 character is di, and belongs most probably to the later 

 Kushana or early Gupta alphabet. The remaining letter 

 also occurs only once. It is the oldest in the series. It is 

 either the Brahmi ga or the Kharosthi ya (No. 12). It is very 

 difficult to particularise as both letters are identical in 

 shape, and both alphabets were in use in Afghanistan at this 

 period. Anyway it is certain that the letter belongs to the 

 Maury a period. 



II. Symbols. — The most common symbol is the linga. 

 Here the form is different. It occurs thrice (Nos. 5, 19 and 

 26^. The linga as a punch-mark existed up to a very late date. 

 It occurs on a coin of 'Alau-d-dm Husen Shah of Bengal in the 

 cabinet of one of my friends. The coin is in a very bad state 

 of preservation. The Kalima occurs on the obverse, and on it 

 are four or five punch- marks of which one is a linga and the 

 other the Bengali syllable lea. The name "Husen Shah 

 only is legible on the reverse. The coin was found in the 

 Sunderban forests. 



Another round coin bears a new symbol, a man and a quad- 

 ruped; most probably the man is chasing the animal. 



Another new symbol is the figure of a horse on No. II. 1 

 Two new symbols occur on No. 12. a monkey and two standing 

 human figures. No. 38 presents another new symbol, viz.% a 

 sphere with four tridents. A spear-head occurs oil No. 20 with 

 a straight line and a parallel row of dots. 



The collection contains an unique specimen of a cast silver 

 coin. Cunningham has distinctly stated that cast coins are all 

 of copper. Unfortunately punch-marks are not distinguishable 

 on this specimen (No. 39). 



•> i 



DESCRIPTION OF COINS. 

 Rectangular Coins. 



Class I. — Blank Reverse. 



1. Size — Irregular hexagon, punch-marks indistinct. 

 Obverse — Solar symbol and portions of three others 



2. Size — Oblong, corners clipped. 



Obverse — Solar symbol, Hare and portions of others 



3. Size — Oblong, one corner clipped. 

 Obverse — Solar and other illegible symbols. 



4. Size — Oblong. 



Obverse — Stupa and caduceus. 



— 



1 Cf. Theobald, J.A.S.B., 1001, pt. t, p. 71, nos. 56-64. 



