Lot description:
Ancients
INDIA. Kushan Empire. Kanishka I (ca. AD 127-151). AV dinar (20mm, 7.95 gm, 12h). MS. Kushan standard, Bactria, main mint (probably Balkh), late phase. ÞAONANOÞAO KA-NHÞKI KOÞANO, Kanishka I standing facing, head left, with long beard, flame emanating from right shoulder, wearing round cap with ladder-like brim, diadem tie with two ribbons to right, cloak around shoulders double-clasped at chest with corner folds pointing left and right, worn over belted tunic, trousers, and boots, sacrificing with right hand over altar at left, grounded spear in left hand, sword with curved hilt held by buckled belt; dotted border beneath feet / OHÞO, Oesho (Siva or Shiva) standing facing, nimbate head left, hair in topknot, wearing dhoti, bracelets, and armlets with amulet string across chest, pouring water from flask in extended lower right hand, holding vajra (thunderbolt) in raised upper right hand, transverse trident in raised upper left hand, holding a he-goat by the horns at hip in lower left hand; tamgha without crossbar to left, dotted border. ANS Kushan 382-384. Göbl, MK 78. Vibrant, shimmering surfaces flash around the razor-sharp devices.
Kanishka I, a celebrated figure in South Asian history, ascended to the throne of the Kushan Empire in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD. Known as a great military commander, his prowess led to the significant expansion of the Kushan Empire, which under his rule stretched from Central Asia all the way to Northern India. Esteemed for more than his conquests, however, Kanishka I was a potent patron of the arts and religious institutions. He is notably recognized for his prodigious contributions to Buddhism, playing a seminal role in its dissemination and fostering the creation of the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art, which amalgamated Greek, Persian, and Indian artistic traditions. His reign marked the beginning of the Serindian art style and was characterized by a magnificent efflorescence of cultural and artistic endeavors. Coins minted during his realm bear his image often clad in elaborate Kushan clothing and sometimes paying homage to various Iranian and even Greek deities, reflecting what was a cosmopolitan and syncretic Kushan culture.
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HID02906262019
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