226 Numismatic Gleanings. 



[NO. 6, NEW SERIES, 



south. The Buddhist edifice at Negapatam, known as the Puduvol 

 gopuram, is well known. Curious Buddhist sculptures have been dis- 

 covered at Nalliyur and Kalugu or Kazhugu malai in the Tinnevel- 

 ly district, and many traditions of the destruction of the Samanar 

 at Uraiyar near Trichinopoly and in other'parts of the country, dur- 

 ing a great religious persecution, are still extant.* We may con- 

 clude therefore that Buddhism flourished generally and in great 

 splendour throughput the whole of southern India, nor does it seem 

 to have been exterminated until some centuries after the Christian 

 era. 



The coins which we have classed under this head, comprize the 

 Of the Salaka or oldestknown descriptions of Indian metallic monies. 



Punch coins. They are either spherical lumps of metal slightly 

 flattened by the act of striking [Plate VIII. Jigs. 3 to 5] ; or thin 

 pieces of irregular shapes, as if cut from a large plate of the size 

 required to meet an occasion or as if trimmed to reduce them 

 when two large, [Jigs. b\ to 27]. A third description are of a more 

 perfect character, their shape circular, their weight uniform, and 

 the symbols upon them more regulary impressed, [Plate VIII. Jigs 

 28 to 38], The transition from these into die coins, [^$.31 and 

 30] is easy and evident. 



The symbols impressed on all these descriptions of coins are 

 very various, but for the most part have reference to the Buddhist 

 creed. Others are of a general character such as figures of animals. 

 In no case do they evince a connection with the existing Hindu 

 mythology. \ Those on the flat silver pieces appear to have been 

 long in use, the surface of the coin being completely covered with 

 them. Some have been impressed over others of more ancient date 

 partially or wholly obliterating them, and others have been wholly 

 worn out from lapse of time [Jig* 2.] An ingenious suggestion 



* Ellis in Trans. Madras Literary Society, p. 17; Taylor's Cat. Mac- 

 kenzie MSS. in Madras Journal Literature and Science. 



f In the note attached to the list of this kind of coins in the Mackenzie 

 collection, the Lingam is said to have been traced, but in the many speci- 

 mens we have examined from all parts of India, we have never been able to 

 detect it, — Wil, Cat. II, ccxxvii. 



