ORIGIN OF THE TRIQUETRA. 57 



remind all employing the coinage, and acquainted 

 with the Greek language, that APnAFOS was 

 the governor, 



" This supposition will sufficiently account for 

 the variety of forms which this instrument as- 

 sumes in different medals : sometimes that of a 

 single hook ; sometimes of a double one ; but 

 generally treble; and in one or two instances 

 quadruple. The variations show, that its being a 

 hook was more characteristic of its object on the 

 coin, than its being a three-legged instrument, 

 as is commonly supposed, and as its modern name 

 would tend to imply, while its being generally 

 three-legged may be sufficiently accounted for by 

 the probability that grappling irons were usually 

 of that form ; nor is it altogether impossible 

 that there may be some connection between the 

 history of this coinage and that of the Selgians, 

 so universally distinguished (I believe) by its 

 three human legs. However this may be, it is at 

 all events clear that there is strong presumptive 

 evidence in favour of the Persian origin of these 

 coins, by far the most probable explanation of 

 their characteristic symbol bringing them to 

 precisely the same date and origin as the obelisk 

 at Xanthus, which itself contains the earliest 



