The Coinage and History of Vijayanagara Empire
M Girirajapathi
Bangalore, 2009
The monetary history of the Vijayanagara Empire is still rather obscure. Indian Archaeology A Review records the discovery of more than 307 coin hoards between 1954 and 2001. While certainly not an numerous both in provenance and distribution as Sultanate or Mughal coin hoards, Vijayanagara monetary history does present interesting questions of its own. One aspect that has come to the fore is the interlinking between Bahamani coinage and currency system with the Vijayanagara currency. Partly this is reflected in majority of the coin deposits which are found mixed with sultante minted coins. Phillip Wagoner has studied this feature in a recent article published in the
Indian Economic and Social History Review vol 51, 4 (2014) pp 457-480.
The book under review is a catalog of a few private numismatic collections. It makes no attempt at analysis and even the basic numismatic data is given in a rather loose manner. The provenance of the coins is not documented and the relative chronology between various coin types is not addressed. On the whole this is a very disappointing work.
The Bahamani historian Firishta has given a great deal of information about the relative value of different currencies circulating in the region. In spite of efforts undertaken by Sultan Muhammad Shah I (1358-75) to discourage the circulation and exchange of Vijayanagara gold coins in Bahamani territories, little change was felt on the ground. The value of the Pratap and Hon need to be worked out. The reasons for the complete absence of silver coins in Vijayanagara need to be investigated. The metrology of Vijayanagara coinage needs to be determined.
This work is printed on expensive art paper but it avoids discussing any issue of importance.
M Girirajapathi
Bangalore, 2009
The monetary history of the Vijayanagara Empire is still rather obscure. Indian Archaeology A Review records the discovery of more than 307 coin hoards between 1954 and 2001. While certainly not an numerous both in provenance and distribution as Sultanate or Mughal coin hoards, Vijayanagara monetary history does present interesting questions of its own. One aspect that has come to the fore is the interlinking between Bahamani coinage and currency system with the Vijayanagara currency. Partly this is reflected in majority of the coin deposits which are found mixed with sultante minted coins. Phillip Wagoner has studied this feature in a recent article published in the
 |
| Coinage and History of Vijayanagara |
The book under review is a catalog of a few private numismatic collections. It makes no attempt at analysis and even the basic numismatic data is given in a rather loose manner. The provenance of the coins is not documented and the relative chronology between various coin types is not addressed. On the whole this is a very disappointing work.
The Bahamani historian Firishta has given a great deal of information about the relative value of different currencies circulating in the region. In spite of efforts undertaken by Sultan Muhammad Shah I (1358-75) to discourage the circulation and exchange of Vijayanagara gold coins in Bahamani territories, little change was felt on the ground. The value of the Pratap and Hon need to be worked out. The reasons for the complete absence of silver coins in Vijayanagara need to be investigated. The metrology of Vijayanagara coinage needs to be determined.
This work is printed on expensive art paper but it avoids discussing any issue of importance.
