The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c19.87

c19.87

The circle taken as a mark of abbreviation by Hoernle is obviously the normal form of the letter *tha*; a small dot can be clearly seen within it at some places; see the first and third *tha* in the legend on the left; Pl. XIX. 10. Hoernle read the first two letters at *Para*; the new photograph shows that the letter *pa* is not on the flan and *ra* is quite distinct; I take it to be the first letter of the legend. The second letter is not a dot of abbreviation but the letter *tha*; its medial vowel, if any, has not come out. The next two letters are *matha*; the first four letters are thus *rathamatha*. Hoernle took the next three letters as *bhaga* followed by a dot of abbreviation. The letter *bha* looks like a *ta* in Gupta palæography; and the last letter is a clear *tha*. It is difficult to propose a definite reading of the letter in between these two; I think that it is probably a badly engraved *ra*. The seven letters of the legend on the right are thus *Rathamathatara(?)tha*, with appropriate medial vowels to be supplied.