Indian Palaeography c18.s4.t2: 2. Indo-Greek Coin Legends
Indian Palaeography c18.s4.t2
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2. Indo-Greek Coin Legends
c18.s4.t2.1
Pl. XXIII. 2 is taken from the coin legends of the Indo-Greek rulers, except those of Hermaeus and other later kings. Only the form of *vṛi* is taken from the coin of the *Vṛishṇi Janapada*.¹ The palaeography of these coins is influenced by the metallurgical technique. The letters generally show angular features. In a few letters there are minor changes from those seen in the Aśokan inscriptions. The *anusvāra*, as in *aṁ*, is indicated by a hook placed at the end of the vertical. The additional stroke of the initial *i* is marked almost horizontally in the middle of the vertical and that of *u* slants downwards. The stroke of the medial *u* in *thu* is turned up. The foot-mark is seen in *kha*, *da* and *ta*.² The most difficult features to explain are a line or a dot below *ma* and *ha* in the word *maharajasa*, a line below *da* probably to distinguish it from *ta*, a double or single stroke at the left end of the long vertical of *ja*, and a line sometimes inserted below *ga*, *na* and *sa*. It seems that the lines below the verticals are remnants of the foot-marks seen in the inscriptions. But in some cases the marks appear to imply some special phonetic value. The clearest example is that of *da*, which has the form identical with that of *ta* but for this horizontal line. It may therefore be assumed that this line is added to distinguish the two letters. In the case of *na*, which occurs only in the word *mena*(*ṁ*)*drasa*, probably the correct reading is *naṁ* and not *na*. Similarly, in the case of *ja*, *ga*, *sa*, *ma* and *ha* some phonetic difference may be implied. If this suggestion is not accepted, we must assume that these marks became conventional in the coins, as they are not found in the inscriptions at all.
c18.s4.t2.2
¹ J. Allan, *Catalogue of the Coins of Ancient India in the British Museum*, London, 1936, pl. XVI. 5.
c18.s4.t2.3
² P. Gardner, *Catalogue of Indian Coins in the British Museum, Greek and Scythian Kings of Bactria and India*, London, 1886, pl. IX. 8–12.