Coins of the Pallavas
THE PALLAVA COINS: R. Krishnamurthy; Garnet Publishers, T-7/1&2, Kaveri Salai, Besant Nagar, Chennai-600090. Rs. 800.
PALLAVA COINS have been known ever since Sir Walter Elliot's Coins of Southern India was published nearly a century and a half ago. However, their attribution could not be indisputably established. Attempts were also made by scholars like R. Nagaswamy, K.V. Raman and others to locate and identify Pallava coins in stratified excavations. In the last 20 years, a more intensified search for South Indian dynastic issues by A. Sitaraman and R. Krishnamurthy has brought to light quite a few coins of the Pallavas.
This work of R. Krishnamurthy is the most comprehensive, with an almost exhaustive account of Pallava coins and excellent illustrations, underlining the importance of the new discoveries. It is the first attempt to provide a scientific analysis of the metallurgy of these coins and the sources of the metals used by the Pallavas and their contemporaries.
Uncertainties may still persist because of the lack of good specimens and due to the occurrence of symbols such as the lion and the bull common to dynasties like the Vishnukundis and the Salankayanas, contemporaries of the early Pallavas. Yet, the present work may prove to be a basic source for research on the Pallavas, which needs to be taken serious note of in numismatic studies, as the paucity of coins in early medieval times has influenced studies on society and economy. The book in 13 sections covers a range of issues with elaborate footnotes and references giving special attention to the problems of identification and comparative study of the types of dynastic issues in appendices and notes.
Pallava history
The first three sections provide an overview of the Pallava history and recount the author's experience of the collection of the coins over a period of time from the riverbeds of the Vaigai, Amaravati and south Pennaiyar, explaining their importance for the present study.
The significance of the work lies in the fact that the author introduces a periodisation by distinguishing the coins of the early Pallavas (4th-6th Centuries A.D.) of the southern Andhra region and those of the Simhavishnu line (6th-9th Centuries A.D.) ruling from Kanchipuram over the northern Tamil region and classifying them as those of the Pre-Mahendravarman I period i.e., Early Pallava coins with typical Pallava symbols but without legends and of the period of Mahendravarman I and his successors, with legends in addition to symbols.
Symbols and legends
The author rightly points out the Andhra dynastic tradition, which is strong in Pallava coinage, in the use of symbols like the bull and lion and Telugu titles as legends. The lion and bull are often combined with other symbols like the svastika, srivatsa, the sacred lamp, kumbha, chakra, trisula, and the ship and horse. Symbols like the bull also occur on the early Pallava copper plate seals.
The die-struck technique is common to most of these dynasties. The Pallavas issued coins in lead and copper (high-tin bronze), lead for being soft, ductile and cheaper and high-tin bronze for its gold-like appearance. Silver seems to have been hardly used, although some have been reported from Sri Lanka.
The coin with the symbols of bull on the obverse and the tiger, fish and the bow on the reverse is taken to be a commemorative one, indicating the conquest of the Chola, Pandya and the Chera dynasties, a coin of Mahendravarman I (580-610 A.D.) with his title Sri Vampu.
In his account of the coins of successive rulers (section VI) the author describes and classifies the symbols of different periods, makes clear attributions, while constantly emphasising the problems of identification and attribution. Coins with legends occur only from the period of Mahendravarman I, whose titles are either in Telugu (Curumpu and Udduti) or derived from Southeast Asian names like Blapu, Mlayu and Katuntarambu.
The Sanskrit titles of Mahendravarman like Mahamegha and Lalitankura are known also from the cave inscriptions of the same king. Titles such as Srinidhi and Sribhara, were borne by more than one king i.e., Narasimhavarman I and Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha) and their attribution has often oscillated between the two, the present author ascribing them to Narasimhavarman I.
Strangely, the author makes no reference to the recently reported coin of the later Pallava king Dantivarman, wherein the legend "Danti" occurs. Interestingly, the coin moulds discovered in the Kamakshi temple excavations at Kanchipuram, including Pallava coin moulds are dismissed by the author as ancient forgeries meant for fake coins, without however giving adequate explanations.
Of considerable interest is the comparison with the coin issues of Southeast Asian dynasties, e.g., the Mons of Dvaravati in the lower valley of the River Menam in Thailand from the 6th Century A.D. onwards, which are traced to the predominant Pallava influence and also of the Arakan rulers of the 7th - 9th Centuries A.D. South Indian influence is attributed to cultural and trade contacts as attested by the legends of the origin of some Southeast Asian dynasties (Fu Nan), but more directly seen in the technique (die-struck) used by the Dvaravati coins and the script influenced by the Pallava Grantha.
Metal analysis
The section on the analysis of the metals carried out by scientists and carefully applied to the Pallava coinage is perhaps the most useful and shows that lead was subjected to the isotope, spectroscopic analyses and hardness study. Its sources are located, lead mainly in Spain being used in early Roman and South Indian coins, although the author denies the possibility of the Roman lead being reused or older coins being recast in South India.
He also points out that a high percentage of tin rather than lead or zinc was used as an alloying element in the copper alloy or bronze coins of the Pallavas, as copper and tin, known to be the oldest known alloy, a closer imitation of gold, was preferred by the South Indian rulers.
The entire book is done on art paper with high quality illustrations, both photographs and sketches. The bibliography is selective and adequate. The book is a major addition to our knowledge of South Indian coinage.
R. VANAJA
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