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<p>[QUOTE="Severus Alexander, post: 3021155, member: 84744"]That is indeed a very nice example! Mine is also nice "for the type":</p><p>[ATTACH=full]751316[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>As a generalist collector I'm no expert on these, but my understanding is that the symbol in the obverse right field is a quasi-monogram but should be called a "tamgha." (It's derived from the one on his father's coin shown by [USER=51347]@Alegandron[/USER].) These are family/tribal symbols used by steppe nomads, and hearken back to the Kushans' Yueh-zhi roots, a nomadic people forced west by the migration of the Xiongnu ("Huns"?), who were in turn defeated by the Chinese Han dynasty. (Tamghas can also be found on Hunnic and Mongol coinage.) </p><p><br /></p><p>The symbol in the left field of the reverse is usually called the Buddhist "triratna" or "three jewels." (Mine is a bit wonky, yours is nice.) The symbol is associated with "Buddha's footprint", and combines a lotus petal, a diamond rod, and the three jewels proper, symbolizing the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Interestingly, the triratna is quite similar to the Hindu symbol for <i>Nandi's</i> footprint, Nandi being Shiva's bull depicted on the reverse. The Kushans seem to have been big on religious pluralism, and found a nice expression of it here.</p><p><br /></p><p>Kushan coinage is fascinating. Thanks for the detailed presentation of the script, about which I know practically nothing![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Severus Alexander, post: 3021155, member: 84744"]That is indeed a very nice example! Mine is also nice "for the type": [ATTACH=full]751316[/ATTACH] As a generalist collector I'm no expert on these, but my understanding is that the symbol in the obverse right field is a quasi-monogram but should be called a "tamgha." (It's derived from the one on his father's coin shown by [USER=51347]@Alegandron[/USER].) These are family/tribal symbols used by steppe nomads, and hearken back to the Kushans' Yueh-zhi roots, a nomadic people forced west by the migration of the Xiongnu ("Huns"?), who were in turn defeated by the Chinese Han dynasty. (Tamghas can also be found on Hunnic and Mongol coinage.) The symbol in the left field of the reverse is usually called the Buddhist "triratna" or "three jewels." (Mine is a bit wonky, yours is nice.) The symbol is associated with "Buddha's footprint", and combines a lotus petal, a diamond rod, and the three jewels proper, symbolizing the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Interestingly, the triratna is quite similar to the Hindu symbol for [I]Nandi's[/I] footprint, Nandi being Shiva's bull depicted on the reverse. The Kushans seem to have been big on religious pluralism, and found a nice expression of it here. Kushan coinage is fascinating. Thanks for the detailed presentation of the script, about which I know practically nothing![/QUOTE]
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