SETHUPATI COINS. 
11 
the counter-invasion of the mainland by Parakrama Bahu in 
the twelfth century of our era. The condition of the people 
previous to that time was probably such as to make any 
extensive commercial relations with their neighbours imprac- 
ticable, and probably barter was the most convenient medium 
of exchange. As the Chola invasions from the well watered 
and richer north, and the counter-invasions from the long- 
settled and prosperous south took place, and the country 
became more settled internally and more familiar with 
enlarged commercial transactions, the need of coined pieces 
became felt, and was probably supplied in the first instance 
by the invaders themselves. That this foreign form of money 
was continued for any length of time there is no evidence 
to show. On the contrary the very limited number and 
variety of the coins in the earlier series seem to indicate that 
the improved condition of the people, and more settled state 
of the country, was not for any great length of time, but 
that the people soon relapsed again into a semi-barbarous 
and lawless life, and the coins of the later series show accord- 
ingly a degeneration in size and design amounting in some 
cases to utter insignificance. 
(2) The coins indicate that during the period covered by 
both the earlier and the later series, the religious preference 
of the Sethupati was the worship of Siva, and not as now the 
worship of Vishnu. The emblems on the coins, — bull, trident, 
lingam, peacock and tulsi, are all specially significant of 
Sivaism, and the use of the form of Ganesha ia the latter 
series is conclusive in the same direction. There is still a 
Siva shrine at Ramespuram, but the worship for which the 
place is famous and for which pilgrims come from far and 
near is that of Vishnu. Thousands flock thither every year 
to worship Vishnu while but very few come whose object 
is Siva worship. When did this change probably occur ? 
Those who are familiar with South Indian numismatics will 
recall that the Q-aruda series of coins, which are probably of 
