1890.] Punch-marked coins of Hindustan, ^c. 199 
It may be objected that a Buddhist stupa is a relic sbrine, ratlier 
than a tomb, but nothing can dissociate it from the primitive idea of a 
mound hiding that which is honoured and dear to us, even if it bo but a 
cenotaph, perpetuating a cherished memory. 
3. Ball and Crescent. Fig. 128. 
The symbol formed by the union of the two above described must 
bo considered in an astronomical sense, as Soli-lunar or if regarded from 
the standpoint of Nature-worship, as of androgynous import, the horao- 
logue of the ‘ crux-ansata ’ on Assyrian and Egyptian monuments. The 
idea of uniting the sun and moon is a very natural one either astronomi- 
cally considered or mythologically. Of this, that noble ode the carmen 
sseculare of Horace is an example. Fifty chosen maidens and as many 
chaste youths form a chorus to sing the Centenary Ode to the twins of 
Leto ; the youths first addressing ApoZZo, followed by the maidens appeal- 
ing to Diana and the whole chorus uniting in a magnificent outburst of 
prayer to both powers. 
(Youths) Pheehe; 
(Maidens) silvarumque potens Diana 
Lucidum coeli decus p 
(Whole chorus) O colendi 
Semper, ot culti, date quae precamur 
Tempore sacro. 
This symbol is of frequent occurrence on these coins. Occasionally 
it occurs alone or enclosed within a square or circle as in figs. 168 and 
188 but more usually it is seen in combination with other objects. 
Thomas describes it as a “ magic formula ” a very unhappy expression, 
as there is no magic in the matter, unless we term the symbols in vogue 
among the early Christians “ magical,” such as the fish, inscribed over 
some early Christian graves, or the trilitei*al monogram so conspicuously 
used in Ecclesiastical decoration in modern churches ! 
4. Twin circles. Fig. 129. 
(A variant of the ‘ spectacle mark ’ of Scottish antiquaries.) 
This symbol is of rare occurrence and is not noticed by Thomas. 
It must be of profound antiquity and widely spread over the world, if it 
is identical as Inman avei’s with the object worshipped by the Moabites 
and probably by many Jews also in ** the temple of the two circles, (see 
Jeremiah xlviii. 22,) and also with the “spectacle mark” as it is 
called, so frequently found on sculptured stones in Scotland. (Ancient 
Faiths embodied in ancient names. Inman, Vol. I, sub voce Beth- 
Dihlathaim.) 
