Coins of the Dark Age

The article discusses the numismatic evidence of the period immediately following the decline of the Mauryan empire in Bihar, often termed the "Dark Age." The author argues that a strict, evidence-based approach is necessary to avoid subjective theories regarding the coinage of this era. The primary focus is on copper coins bearing the "Mitra" suffix, which exhibit wide diffusion across the Gangetic basin. The author notes that eastern Indian finds have been inadequately evaluated and scattered across various publications. The evidence presented is drawn from excavations and collections at several key sites, including Pataliputra, Rajgir, and Pataliputra. At Pataliputra, excavations financed by late Ratan Tarl yielded early square cast coins featuring symbols like a tree within a railing, a crescent-surmounted hill, an elephant, a hollow cross, a taurine, and a Svastika, as well as circular cast coins. At Rajgir, finds include copper coins with an elephant and a tree, square cast coins, and rare oblong coins of various varieties discussed by Ajit Ghose. Additionally, cast coins were found at Pir-Nagara in the Munghyr district, and a copper coin with an elephant and a crescented hill was discovered at Vedivan in the Champaran district. The author suggests that these uninscribed cast coins, whether square or round, indicate a wide diffusion and were likely issued by a dynasty whose political influence extended beyond Magadha. The article also addresses the problematic identification of the coins of Indramitra, questioning whether they belong to the Pancala monarch or a local Magadhan king, possibly linked to Queen Kurathgi of Bodh Gaya. The author concludes that a new approach is necessary to evaluate the numismatic evidence of this dark age, emphasizing the need to gather a mass of evidence before drawing final conclusions.

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