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The Chahamanas - Vakhudeva Vasudeva's Imitations
| Issuer | Chahamana (Chauhan) Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 700-800 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Degraded imitation of a Sasanian-style royal bust facing right at center, wearing an elaborate winged or crescent-topped crown derived from Kushano-Sasanian prototypes, set within a beaded border. The facial features, though schematically rendered, retain vestiges of the original effigy with visible eye and nose elements. Flanking the bust are degenerated attendant figures or fire-altar pillar motifs reduced to abstract forms through successive copying. A Brahmi legend or syllable appears in the field, varying by type, with the obverse field otherwise plain or carrying one of several distinguishing symbols including a trident, floral ornament, or imitated legend depending on the sub-type. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Brahmi |
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| Additional information |
The Chahamanas of Shakambhari — ancestors of the more celebrated Prithviraj Chauhan — were producing these imitative drachms at a moment when the original Vakhtang-era Georgian prototypes had long since passed out of circulation. The coins copy, with varying fidelity, the Sasanian-derived "Vakhudeva" type that had filtered into northwestern India through centuries of trade and political upheaval. What makes the series unusual is the documented variation in silver purity across surviving specimens, suggesting either multiple minting episodes or deliberate debasement tied to dynastic fiscal pressure during the 8th century.