538 An account of eight Kufic Silver Coins. [No. /. 



valuable works of Continental Authors, who treat on subjects connected 

 with this section of the Numismatic history of Asia. 



From those Antiquaries, who are disposed to view this branch of 

 study as dry and unprofitable — from those, who set their hearts upon 

 the well-outlined and classic models of earlier days, I would claim a 

 hearing, on the very valid plea, that of all divisions of Numismatic 

 science, the Mediseval Moslem Coins the best fulfil the part of exact 

 historical illustration ; dealing in no mere repetition of standard types 

 and emblems, seldom subject to ambiguous interpretation, their well 

 covered surfaces convey in simple words, the precise information most 

 prized by annalists : The name and title of the monarch, the city over 

 which he ruled, and the fixed epoch of his sovereignty. 



With this much of preface, I now proceed to give a slight sketch of 

 the various treatises I have before alluded to. 



The " Recensio" of Professor Frashn is a most elaborate and com- 

 prehensive work printed at St. Petersburg, in 1826, giving oriental 

 transcripts of the coin legends, with descriptions and translations in 

 Latin. The publication is unfortunately wanting in illustrations, 

 which renders it of less value to beginners, but as a Text Book, for 

 those advanced in the art of deciphering Arabic coins, it stands to 

 this time pre-eminent in its branch of the literature of the century. 



Its printed contents amount to 743 quarto pages, besides which, it 

 has extensive interpolations of starred repetitions of the regular nume- 

 rical paging in order to admit of the introduction of a mass of addi- 

 tional matter met with during the course of publication. 



The Indices alone are a book in themselves, extending over 70 pages 

 of small type double-columns. But more fully to present to the reader's 

 comprehension the number and variety of the subjects brought under 

 review, I transcribe an outline of the " Conspectus Classium." 

 Conspectus Classium. 

 Sectio I. Chalifse primarii seu altioris ordinis. 

 Classis I. Chalifse Umaijadse Orientales. 



■ II. Ditto Abbasidee Baghdadici. 



Sectio II. Dynastise orto duranteve Chalifatu 'Abbasidico Bagh- 

 dadico natse atque florentes. 



Classis HI. Varias dynastias simul comprehendens, sunt autem : 

 A. Chalifse Umaijadse Hispanici. 



