Catalog
80 Ratti
| Issuer | Beikthano Kingdom (Pyu city-states) |
|---|---|
| Year | 500-600 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Central Srivatsa symbol depicted as a stylised temple or shrine form, flanked by a conch shell (sankha) to the left and a swastika to the right, all rendered in low relief within a plain field. The composition reflects Brahmanical-Buddhist iconographic conventions characteristic of early Pyu coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Stylised rising sun motif occupying the central field, depicted with radiating rays extending toward a beaded border that circumscribes the design. A prominent central pellet, interpreted in numismatic scholarship as an allusion to the third eye of Shiva, is placed within the solar disc, reflecting the syncretic Hindu iconography prevalent among the Pyu city-states. |
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| Additional information |
The Pyu city-states of central Burma operated a sophisticated monetized economy centuries before most neighboring mainland Southeast Asian polities adopted coinage at all. Beikthano, one of the earliest Pyu urban centers, was already in decline by the time these pieces circulated — archaeological evidence suggests the city was largely abandoned by the 9th century, possibly following Nanzhao raids from Yunnan.
The ratti weight standard derives from the seed of Abrus precatorius, used across South and Southeast Asia as a jeweler's measure. At 80 ratti, this denomination aligns closely with the Indian karshapana tradition, pointing to direct mercantile contact with the subcontinent rather than independent monetary invention.