1836.] Notes on the Antiquities of Bdmidn. 711 



until we were favored by the alphabets of the Pehlevi and Zend from 

 Mr. Prinsep, when we ascertained it to be a form of Pehlevi. The 

 bust of the king among the paintings in the niche of the second idol, 

 we had found to bear an exact resemblance to the busts on a series 

 of coins constantly and numerously found at Beghrdm, and which we 

 called Parthian provisionally ; but the characters of the legends on 

 these coins were very different from those of the Bdmidn inscription. 

 At length, however, a coin was found of the same class, with the 

 characters plainly similar — in fact comprising three of those forming 

 the inscription (see Plate XLIV). We now began to suspect we had 

 sufficient evidence to assign the idols of Bdmidn. 



Under the idea that the inscription might be rendered NANAIA, 

 we had ventured to communicate our suspicions to Mr. Prinsep : 

 should they be confirmed, the idol might be supposed to be an image 

 of Diana or the moon, called by the old Persians NANAIA — but we 

 are not yet confident of the reading ; and viewing a succession of 

 idols, it occurs to reflection that they may possibly commemorate a 

 series of sovereigns : and tbis, even if the reading be allowed ; for we 

 find over the second idol which has no inscription, a full length female 

 figure, which may be Nanaia, and the first idol has no figure, but a 

 name in its place. We must confess, from the general appearance of 

 the idols, we should suppose them to represent male personages. 



The coins referred to are probably of that description marked by 

 Colonel Tod, when he enumerates among his collection " rare ones 

 of a Parthian dynasty unknown to history." The term Parthian may 

 cease to be applicable, but we doubt whether the kings commemorat- 

 ed by these coins, and, as we suspect, by the idols of Bdmidn, are un- 

 known to history. We take them to be the Kidnian dynasty, whose 

 records, more or less authentic, are to be found in Persian authors ; 

 and whose descendants, if their own accounts be credited, still exist 

 in the persons of independent chiefs in Seistdn. The Tajiks, so nume- 

 rously dispersed over Afghdnistdn and Turkistdn, and no doubt the 

 more ancient inhabitants of the countries, represent the nation, in 

 olden time, obedient to the princes of this dynasty. For a series of 

 ages, in Afghdnistdn at least, the Tajik authority has been superseded ; 

 and, within memory, the proprietary rights of the Tajik to the soil 

 have been seriously infringed by the encroachments of the Afghans. 

 He preserves few traces of his origin or descent, and as a convert to 

 the uncompromising tenets of Islamism, recollects with horror that 

 his country was once governed by infidels — while, as at Bdmidn, he 

 resides, and follows the ordinary occupations of life, in the temples, 

 4 z 2 



