1881.] 



Coins and Antiquities from KhoJchrakote. 



11 



after inspection was pleased to order a few of the coins to be sent to him, 

 together with an account as to their discovery. 



" The excavations were carried on to a depth of 60 feet, and the expen- 

 diture incurred was Es. 459." 



Dr. Hoernle observed that there was some uncertainty as to the real 

 depth to which the excavations were carried. At the end of the account, 

 it was stated that the depth was 60 feet, but the amount of the depths of 

 the several diggings previously detailed in the account was much larger, 

 about 80 feet. 



With regard to the coins, he remarked that they appear to be late Indo- 

 Scythic. In Prinsep's Indian Antiquities, p. 417 (Plate XXXIV, Nos. 11, 

 12, 13) they are classed as Indo-Sassanian ; but wrongly. They have no 

 trace of the characteristic Sassanian fire-altar, nor of the head of the king 

 in profile. On plate VIII, No. 8 and Plate IV, No. 10 (ibidem), they are 

 classed as Indo-Scythic, which they undoubtedly are, or rather probably late 

 imitations of them. This is shown by the characteristic " Siva and bull" 

 on the reverse, so well known from the coins of Kadphises and Vasudeva 

 (see Ariana Antiqua, Plates X, No. 12, XIV, No. 14). The deterioration 

 from the original type can be distinctly traced, in the present series of coins, 

 on the obverse (see facsimile woodcuts). The coins of Kadphises and 

 Vasudeva have, on the obverse, the full figure of the king with a trident in 

 front. 



The full figure is still clear on No. 1 (compare No. 10 on Plate IV of 

 Prinsep's Indian Antiquities, Vol. I) ; on No. 2 it has shrunk into mere 

 crude outlines ; in Nos 3 and 4 the outlines are still more attenuated • 

 in Nos. 5 and 6 the trident may be seen in front of the skeleton figure on 



