1894.] W. Theobald —Early Local Silver Coinages in N.- W. India. 79 
the ground, and in the act of progressing to the right. Beneath the 
belly of the buffalo is a curved object like a crooked cucumber, with 
a J above it. Behind the buffalo is the sacred tree standing on a 
square base, and above the animal’s back an unfamiliar symbol, which 
has much the appearance of a monogram. It consists of the Greek 
letter ‘ phi ’ with the top limb removed, and standing on a short cross-bar 
for a base, with a similar bar attached like a semaphore arm, on the left, 
a little above the base. A beaded margin surrounds the coin. 
To return now to the consideration of the half kdrsdpanas from 
Mathura, there are, besides the two very obscure principal symbols, 
several subordinate ones of smaller size. On five coins the ‘ triskelis ’ 
occurs in the upper right-hand corner, a little above and in front of the 
fish-like symbol previously described. This 4 triskelis ’ is small, very 
neatly formed and revolving from right to left (see ante , Yol. LIX, pi. X, 
fig. 131). This form of the 4 triskelis ’ forms part of the obverse die from 
which the coin has been struck, and stands in relief above the surface of 
the field ; but on one coin, a small reversed 4 triskelis ’ (see 1. c„ fig. 130) 
has been impressed by a 4 punch,’ on the reverse of the coin, and 
may perhaps be regarded as a £ shroff mark ’ put on to it after it was in 
circulation. 
Another very obscure symbol is of occasional occurrence. It re¬ 
presents a straight object tapering to a point above, and ending below 
in a short lateral arm also pointed, which forms an obtuse angle with 
the body of the symbol. This side arm is deflected either to the right or 
left, and the only suggestion I can offer as to its meaning is, that the 
symbol is intended to represent a rude wooden plough, the short basal 
arm being the ‘ coulter.’ Ploughs of this character, with only a few 
inches of iron, to form the point of the 4 share ’ are still used in India, 
and the simplest form perhaps of the instrument was a straight piece 
of some tough wood, with a bend at one end; where a branch had been 
given off, to form the 4 share,’ such as the Poet must have had in view 
when attributing agriculture to the Silver Age of the Earth, and 
before the use of iron had come in vogue. 
44 Semina turn primum longis cerealia sulcis 
Obruta sunt, pressique jugo gemuere juvenci— 
Ovid. Met. Lib. I, 123. 
Another sjunbol on these coins is the. 4 taurine ’ ( Journal , Asiatic 
Society , Bengal , 1890, PI. X, fig. 128). On four coins a pair of 4 taurines,’ 
one inverted over the other, occupies the place of the 4 triskelis,’ in front 
of the principal symbol on the right of the coin, and on a fifth coin, in 
addition to the 4 triskelis,’ a 4 taurine ’ is added under the head (if we 
may so consider it) of the lower of the two principal symbols. 
J. I. 11 
