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Tetradrachm - Huviska
| Issuer | Kushan Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 151-190 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 16.5 g |
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| Obverse description | King Huviska seated atop an elephant moving to the right, depicted in regal posture with attributes of divine kingship; the elephant is rendered in profile with naturalistic detail typical of Kushan coinage. The royal figure raises his hand and holds regalia, surrounded by a Bactrian legend in the field. The inscription ÞAONANOÞAO OOHÞKE KOÞANO runs around the design, proclaiming the king's title as King of Kings. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Mithra, the solar deity, depicted nimbate and standing facing, with head turned to the left; he raises his right hand in a gesture of salutation or benediction. The divine figure is rendered in the Kushan syncretic style, combining Hellenistic and Iranian iconographic elements. A tamgha, the dynastic emblem of the Kushan royal house, appears to the left of the figure. The Bactrian inscription MIIPO identifies the deity in the field. |
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| Additional information |
Huvishka's reign saw the Kushan monetary system bifurcate sharply: gold dinars continued for elite transactions and royal prestige, while copper tetradrachms like this one handled the everyday commercial weight of a trading empire stretching from the Ganges plain to the fringes of Parthia. The copper issues under Huvishka are notably diverse in their reverse types — more so than under any other Kushan ruler — likely reflecting deliberate accommodation of multiple regional religious constituencies across a vast and culturally heterogeneous realm.
SNG ANS 9 #454 places this piece within a catalogued sequence that has helped scholars map die relationships across the copper series, though the precise mint attributions within the Kushan system remain contested.