1050 Coins and relics from Bactvia. [Dec. 



being only of silver gilt, has escaped similar violation. The gilding 

 however is mostly worn away from long use, and in one part the side of 

 the cup is actually worn through. Independently of the circumstance 

 of the main figure being represented with a cup in hand, its identity with 

 the Grecian Bacchus, is proved by the vines circumpendent, and by the 

 figure of a tiger standing prominently out in the fore ground and drink- 

 ing out of a wine jar. 



This very singular relic being destined to leave the country, we have 

 thought it necessary, besides giving in these pages a plate made from 

 an accurate drawing with a scale, to have a cast prepared from it in tin, 

 so that in case the original should be lost in transmission to Europe, 

 the facsimile may remain to give a complete idea of its form and exe- 

 cution. The cast is of course not equally sharp in its lines with the 

 chased original, but connoisseurs will know how to make exact allowance 

 for that difference. 



This patera is the property of Dr. Lord, who is also the fortunate 

 owner of the double-headed coin of Eucratides, the original appa- 

 rently from which the plate of a similar coin is given in Dr. Vincent's 

 Periplus; but the double head is there represented as being on both sides 

 of the coin. With a liberality deserving of particular notice, both these 

 unique relics have been gratuitously appropriated by the finder, or are 

 intended to be so, in the manner deemed by him most conducive to the 

 ends of science, Dr. Lord not desiring to retain them as isolated 

 trophies of his own good fortune in the field of research and discovery. 



I fear we must not look upon this piece of plate as affording evidence 

 of the state of the arts in Badakhshdn, where it was found, at any par- 

 ticular sera. That it is of high antiquity is quite apparent from the 

 condition of the metal, as well as from the design, but in the Periplus 

 of the Erythrean Sea published amongst Arian's works, it is distinctly 

 stated that apyvpea/xara, t. e. articles of silver plate, were a staple import 

 from the west, for exchange against the productions of India. At 

 Minnagarh upon the Indus, it is further stated by the author of that 

 treatise, that he himself presented to the raja papi/ri^a apyupw/xaroi, valua- 

 ble pieces of plate, in order to secure his favor, and the grant of certain 

 privileges of trade. There is thus reason to believe that the pa- 

 tera must have been brought from Greece or Asia Minor, and either 

 presented in like manner, or sold to some sovereign of Bactria, by a 

 merchant desiring similar privileges of trade in that country. That 

 it has been in use for centuries is evident from the worn condition 

 it now presents \ but for how many it was in use, and for how many it 

 lay treasured in royal or other repositories, is more than may now 

 be conjectured. 



