1865.] Ancient Indian Weights. 53 



while the practical advance from ever-recurring weighings towards fix- 

 ed metallic currencies was prohably due to the introductory adop- 

 tion of lengths of uniformly-shaped bars of silver (Plate XI. Figs. 1, 

 2), which, when weight and value gradually came to require more 

 formal certificates, were adapted designedly to the new purpose by 

 change of form and a flattening and expansion of surface, in order to 

 receive and retain visibly the authoritative countermarks. One part 

 of the system was so far, by hazard, in accord with the custom of the 

 west, that the upper face alone was impressed with the authenticating 

 stamps, though the guiding motive was probably different, and the 

 object sought may well have been the desirable facility of reference to 

 the serial order of the obverse markings — each successive repetition of 

 which constituted a testimony to the equity of past ages. 



The lower face of these domino-like pieces is ordinarily indented 

 with a single minor punch, occupying as a rule nearly the middle of 

 the reverse. The dies, though of lesser size, follow the usual symboli- 

 cal representations in vogue upon the superior face. There are scarce- 

 ly sufficient indications to show if the dies in question constituted a 

 projected portion of the anvil ; but I should infer to the contrary : nor 

 does the isolation of these symbols, in the first instance, prevent repe- 

 titions of small punch-marks over or around their central position ; in 

 some cases — though these form the exceptions — the clear field of the 

 reverse is ultimately devoted to the reception of the obverse or larger 

 devices : which anomaly recurs, of necessity, to a greater extent with 

 those pieces which have continued long in circulation, and more es- 

 pecially is this found to be the case among the residue of this descrip- 

 tion of currency in Central India and the Peninsula, where ancient 

 customs so firmly resisted the encroachments of foreign or extra-pro- 

 vincial civilisation. 



As far as the typical designs in themselves, when compared with 

 later Indian symbolical adaptations, are concerned, they would seem 

 to refer to no particular religious or secular division, but, embodying 

 primitive ideas, with but little advanced artistic power of representa- 

 tion, to have been produced or adopted, from time to time, as regal 

 or possibly metropolitan authorities demanded distinctive devices. It 

 would be useless, at this stage of the inquiry, to attempt to decide 

 whether these discriminating re-attestations appertain primarily to 



