i recently picked up a small batch of small sunga cast squares. if your not familiar with the sunga empire, it was a post-mauryan empire of the 2nd and 1st centuries BC in modern day northeastern india, bangladesh, nepal. i've wanted one of these for a while, but wanted to get one where you could see the symbols clearly. picked up a small lot that had several nice ones, and one i'm not familiar with. here are the common types... Sunga Empire, AE 1/2 karashapana, 2nd-1 Century BC O: elephant above tree and swastika, phosopholipid(?) left, R: hollow cross, three arched hill with crescent, phosophlipid (?) and potted plant (?), 14 mm, 2.5 g, Mitchiner ACW 4348-4352? i see these usually listed as a 1/2 karashapana, so i just went with the flow. i'm not sure what some of the symbols are. what i call a "phospholipid" is sometimes called a "bulls head". the the "horns" are usually not pointed the right way, so i'm unconvinced. here's a phospholipid (a cell membrane component...totally unknown to ancients...just what i call it until someone tells me better). here's another, similar, but with a different arrangement and the elephant on railroad tracks. Sunga Empire, AE 1/2 karashapana, 2nd-1 Century BC O: Elephant on rails, tree, swastika, and phospholipid (?) above; R: hollow cross, hill with crescent, potted plant (?), and phospholipid (?), 14 mm, 2.6 g, Mitchiner ACW 4348-4352? here's a similar coin, but smalller...is it another denomination or the same? Sunga Empire, AE unit?, 2nd-1 Century BC O: Elephant on rails, tree, swastika, and phospholipid (?) above; R: hollow cross, hill with crescent, potted plant (?), and phospholipid (?), Mitchiner ACW 4348-4352?, 11 mm, 1.2 g side by side... ok, this one has me stumped..... it's 11 mm and 1.0g. has some of the same elements as the others, plus the "x with balls" the reverse and a....uh....what the heck is that on the obverse? a donkey with a back tumor? a mule/camel hybrid? calling all eastern expert for a hand here (or anyone else!), i'd appreciate it! @THCoins @dougsmit @Ancientnoob feel free to post sunga coins, elephants, unidentifiable animals, or squares square coins!
Sorry, this whole subject is out of my league. I only have this one bronze which I bought from an Indian dealer on eBay (Narayan) a few years back along with a couple Yaudheyas. Other than Sunga, I have no ID.
I just have 1 too. SUNGA DYNASTY (185-75 B.C.) Æ ½ KARSHAPANA O: Bull, elephant, swastika and staff symbols. R: Hill, cross and tree symbols. 3.1g 14 x 15mm MACW-4348
cool coins everyone, i knew there were some of these here at CT. thanks AN, you got me barkin' up the right tree. this is a neat page.. http://coinindia.com/galleries-ujjain3.html looks like my unknown animal is probably just a brahmin bull with looks like a donkey and the "x with balls" is an ujjani symbol. looking for a good picture, i found this one DS had posted here... ...so it looks like what i was calling a "tree" on the obverse is the Indra-dhvaja, which is a type of standard (correct @Ancientnoob ?) and my phosphlipid is a "taurine". what the hecks a taurine? does that mean bull head?
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/bullsemen.asp You may enjoy the above link. Taurine is, as anoob points out fancy for bull-y. It is also a chemical found in some bovine products.
my "potted plant" is a bodhi tree (railed tree), kind of like this... this tree it outside a temple, and they believe this is a tree is a direct decedent of the tree the buddah sat under when he attained enlightenment. Neat! i knew it had some significance, and knew @Ancientnoob had talked about it and showed it on one of his coins... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-charlie-brown-christmas-tree.272325/#post-2304318
Yes they are the same symbol. The two coins are quite far apart chronologically. The Ujjani symbol exists in many, many variations. I do not know if this the intent of the design, but could very well be an evolutionary step in the symbol, or a modification to fit the size. The symbol did evolve in the 1/2 cent AD into the Satavahana dynastic symbol like the ones on these Satakarni elephant coins. You probably have your mint city. The Tree is a usually a Bodi Tree where Buddha obtained enlightenment. Like on this coin from Anuradhapura. and the three arched hill you can see it on these guys.
Always a bit behind in these discussions because of the different time zone. The Phospholipid indeed is commonly called taurus symbol. A donkey with a back tumour is likely intended as a bull. The thing with looks as a lamppost, either upright or lying down below the elephant is the triangle-headed standard of Indra, the Indra-Dhvaja. Lots of symbolism in these.
