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1 Silver Unit - Sri Ksetra Kingdom
| Issuer | Sri Ksetra Kingdom (Pyu city-states) |
|---|---|
| Year | 700-850 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by a large srivatsa symbol rendered as an interlaced hourglass or bow-tie motif with a prominent central pellet or solar disc at the intersection, flanked on either side by recumbent fish or aquatic creatures in low relief. Above the central device appears a row of rising finials or flame-like projections, possibly representing a crown or architectural element. The entire design is enclosed within a wide border of raised pellets or annulets forming a continuous decorative ring around the coin's circumference. The style is characteristic of Pyu artistic convention, with bold, deeply incised geometric and symbolic forms typical of early Southeast Asian hammered coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse depicts a prominent rising sun or shrine motif rendered as a trapezoidal structure filled with a grid of raised pellets arranged in rows, representing a srivatsa-related auspicious symbol or stupa facade. Two rearing or confronted serpentine creatures (makaras or nagas) flank the central device at the upper left and right, their bodies curving outward. The lower field features a wavy line border suggestive of water or waves, a common element in Pyu iconography linking the design to cosmological symbolism. Small foliate or flame motifs appear at the upper corners. The overall composition reflects the deeply Buddhist and Hindu-influenced artistic tradition of the Pyu city-states. |
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| Additional information |
Sri Ksetra, near modern Pyay in central Burma, was among the most sophisticated of the Pyu city-states and maintained active trade networks stretching from India to the Tang Dynasty court. These silver units functioned within a Buddhist commercial economy that Chinese Tang sources — particularly the Xin Tangshu — actually documented in some detail, noting the Pyu's use of silver coinage and their comparatively organized urban life. The kingdom was effectively destroyed by the Nanzhao raids of the 830s, which curtailed Pyu coinage abruptly and accounts for the relatively tight terminal date on this series.