1895.] E. A. Gait — Some Notes on Jaintia History. 243 
when Nara-narayana defeated the Raja of Jaintia (a few years prior to 
1565 A.D.), one of the conditions which he imposed on the defeated 
monarch was, that, in future, coins should not be struck in his own name, 
but that his capital only should be mentioned. This story may perhaps 
explain why so few Jaintia coins bear the name of the king in whose 
reign they were struck, but are simply described as coins “ of the most 
illustrious ruler of Jaintiapur.” 
Although there is thus reason to believe that coins were minted 
more than 270 years before the annexation of the country, it would 
seem that their use as a medium of exchange was never very extended. 
In a report submitted in 1835 A.D., by the Commissioner of Dacca 
(Mr. Lowis), it is said: 
“ It is needless to speculate on the fact that the raja had a tolera- 
“ bly large sum of money in his possession, or that many of the Visaya- 
“ dars have probably considerable hordes; the fact is indisputable that 
“ all the more weighty transactions of the community were effected 
“ without the help of any thing approaching to the same quantity of 
“ silver that circulates elsewhere. The labourer mostly satisfied the 
“demand against him with labour, the producer with produce, audit 
“ would be just as reasonable to expect to find a supply of beaver hats 
“ or Saxon broadcloth as silver, in places when the general wants of the 
“ community have not been such as to demand a supply of these com- 
“ modifies.” 
All rents in the time of the rajas were paid in kind, and one of 
the chief difficulties experienced by the early British administrators 
of the tract lay in the substitution of money rents for payment in kind. 
The Jaintia rupees were locally known as Jcatrd tdlca from the fact 
that they bore the device of a sword on them. Unlike the coinage of 
the Ahoms, which was exceptionally pure, they were made of very 
debased metal, which was doubtless a result of the system under which 
the right to mint coins was sold by auction to the highest bidder. Two 
coins bearing date 1712 faka were sent in 1836 A.D. to the Assay 
Master, Calcutta, for analysis, and were found to contain respectively — 
Silver 
68 parts 
and 
Silver 
87-5 
Copper 
123 „ 
5 > 
Copper 
116-9 
Zinc 
47 „ 
Zinc 
33-6 
Other metals 
2 „ 
» 
Other metals 
2 
240 
240 
According to the Company’s standard, the value of the first coin 
was reported to be 3 annas and that of the second 4 annas 9 pie. 
With the exception of a few of more recent date, Jaintia coins are 
