The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s9.1

v1.c19.s9.1

The use of minted metallic coins as the medium of exchange marks a big forward step in civilisation, especially in its economic aspect. The question as to when metallic coins were first introduced in Bengal is involved in obscurity. It is certain, however, that they were known and used several centuries before the commencement of the Christian era. This is proved by three concurrent pieces of evidence. In the first place, the Mahāsthān Brāhmī inscription mentions coins called gaṇḍaka, and probably also kākaṇika. The former has been explained as a small piece of coin of the value of four cowries, while the latter is referred to in the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya as a sub-multiple of the copper kārṣāpaṇa.¹ Secondly, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea records that a gold coin, known as caltis, was in vogue in the market-town of Gange (Tāmralipti?) at about the first century A.D.² But by far the most valuable evidence in this regard is furnished by the discovery of a large number of silver and copper punch-marked and cast coins, most of them dating back to the pre-Christian epoch. These have been found, sometimes in large number, in various localities of the province—in the neighbourhood of Berāchāmpā (24-Parganas),³ near Manda (Rajshahi),⁴ in the highland close to the river-bed at Tamluk,⁵ and at Wari-Bator (Dacca).⁶ There are good reasons to think that these punch-marked pieces represent the earliest coinage of Bengal, as perhaps also of many other provinces of India, and served for centuries the commercial needs of the people. The symbols punched on these coins are often similar to those found in other parts of India—a fact which shows that from very early times Bengal followed the main currents of general Indian economic life.