254 



On Ancient Indian Weights. 



[No. 3, 



of the Jumna from the Himalaya range ; while the employment of the latter 

 character by Agathocles and Pantaleon would imply its currency within or 

 proximately south, of the province of Arachosia. Then again, certain coins of a 

 kingdom on the Upper Jumna, pertaining to a native dynasty of indeterminate 

 date, 9 but whose epoch may not be very distantly removed from the period 

 under review, are found to be inscribed with the Arian character on the oris 

 surface, with a corresponding legend in Indian-Pali on- the reverse. In this 

 instance also, the internal evidence would seem to show that the latter was the 

 alphabet of the mint artificers, while the former may reasonably be supposed 

 to have constituted the official writing of the ruling classes. Under this view 

 it may be conjectured that the Arian palaeography encroached upon and inter- 

 mingled with the indigenous system of letters as the dominant Northern races 

 extended their dominions, in successive waves, further into Hindustan, till the 

 intrusive alphabet reached Mathura, (lat. 27° 30', long. 77° 45'), which is the 

 lowest point at which any indications of its progress are to be found. 10 Whence 

 however, it was speedily to be thrown back, and very shortly superseded and 

 extinguished by its more flexible and congruous associate of indigenous growth." 

 (Numismatic Chronicle, 1863, p; 230. lx ) 



As I have claimed for the Pre- Aryan Indians the independent de- 

 velopment of an alphabet specially contrived for, and adapted to, their 



9. "Coins of Kunanda, " Ariana Antiqua," pi. xv. fig. 23; "Prinsep's Essays,' 

 i. pi. iv. fig. 1 p. 203 ; Ibid., ii. p. lxix. fig. 16. 



10. Mathura Inscription, dated in Bactrian figures, " Journ. As. Soc. Bengal," 

 1861, p. 427; Coins, Prinsep's Essays," ii. 197. 



11. I recapitulate the leading inscriptions in this alphabet : — 1. Hidda (No. 

 13), near Jellalabad, in Afghanistan. An earthen jar, having an Arian inscrip- 

 tion, written in ink, and dated in the year 8. " Ariana Antiqua," p. Ill, and 

 plate, p. 262. 2. A steatite vase from Bimiran (Jellalabad), with a legend 

 scratched on its surface, undated. " Ariana Antiqua," pp. 52, 70, pi. ii. fig. 1 ; 

 <f Prinsep's Essays," i. 107, pi. vi, 3. The Wardak (30 miles W. of Kabul) 

 Brass Vase, now in the India Museum, inscribed with dotted letters, dated in 

 the year 51, and recording the name of Hushka, the OOHPKI of the coins ; 

 see " Ariana Antiqua," p. 118; "Prinsep," i. 104, pi. x; "Journ. As. Soc, 

 Bengal," No. iv. of 1861 ; " Journ, Eoyal As, Soc," xx. 37. The Taxila Plate, 

 dated 78, records the name of " Moga," identified with the Moa of the coins ; 

 " Num. Chron.," Bactrian List, No xxv. 5. Manikyala Stone Slab (now in the 

 Bibliotheque Imperiale, Paris), dated in the year 18, contains the designation of 

 Kanishka ; " Prinsep's Essays, i. pi. ix. ; " Journ. Eoyal As. Soc." xx. 251. 

 From the same site was obtained the Brass Cylinder now in the British Muse- 

 um ; " Prinsep," pi. vi. To these may be added two inscriptions from the 

 Yusafzai country, one dated 60 ; " Journ. As. Soc. Bengal," 1854, p. 705 j 

 ei Prinsep," i. pi. ix. : and the bi-literal inscription at Kangra (Arian and Indo* 

 Pali), "Prinsep," i. 159, pi. ix. 



[The mention of OOHPKI reminds me, that Gen. Cunningham has complained 

 in our Journal, of my having given the credit of the identification of that name 

 with HusliM, to another. I have already taken the very earliest opportunity of 

 correcting this unintentional error (Journal Asiatique. Octobre 1863. p. 387.) 

 I availed myself of the same occasion, to express my regret that I 3 myself, had 



