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Kidarite 'Shiva and bull' vertical lines
| Issuer | Kidarite Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 320-400 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 3 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse field is entirely covered by a series of bold, evenly spaced vertical lines running parallel across the full diameter of the flan, representing the extreme schematization of the traditional Kidarite Shiva-and-bull motif. This device, in which the iconic image of the Hindu deity Shiva accompanied by his bull Nandi has been reduced to a pattern of straight vertical strokes, is a diagnostic feature of the latest and most debased phase of Kidarite copper coinage. No legible inscription, symbol, or figurative element remains discernible. The surface shows natural patination consistent with age and burial. The simplification of the reverse type is understood as a progressive degeneration of the die-engraving tradition over successive issues. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Kidarites, a branch of the Chionite peoples, swept into Bactria and the Gandharan regions during the fourth century, filling the vacuum left by the collapsing Kushano-Sasanian administration. Their copper small-denomination issues absorbed local Kushan iconographic conventions wholesale — a deliberate legitimizing strategy rather than cultural assimilation. The vertical line series is thought to represent a transitional phase in their coinage, before the dynasty consolidated enough to impose more standardized types across their minting centers.