A Copper Hoard of the Great Kuṣānas

Abstract

The large number of coins and their nature make the hoard an important source for the present research. Some of the coins provide a complete range of the Great Kuṣāna kings from Vima Kadphises to Vasudeva-I. This sequence of kings is other than the known types. The early coins of Huvishka show their association and derivation from those of Kanishka as coins of both the kings are similar in their nature and were in circulation at the time of hoarding. The representation of Huvishka coins demonstrates different phases of mint organization, as the predominant two-armed Oesho coins were exclusively struck in the second phase of a subsidiary (regional) mint. The coins of Vasudeva-I show close affinity with those of Huvishka’s two-armed Oesho and confirm the continuation of the preceding pattern (not by design) so that coins of the two kings seem to have been issued from the same mint. This hoard for the first time shows a proper sequence of Vasudeva-I early coinage comprising varieties A, B, C and D. This is the first hoard of its kind which contains the first two varieties in abundance. Apparently the hoard started taking shape during the second phase of Huvishka as many series of Huvishka and his predecessors are missing. It comprises few coins of Vima Kadphises and Kaniśka, many Oesho coins of Huvishka and then a complete sequence of the early issues of Vasudeva-I. A large quantity and good condition of the latter indicates that the hoard was ultimately buried during the mature phase of the reign of Vasudeva-I.