ART. XV.-Notes Introductory to Sassanian Mint Monograms and Gems. With a Supplementary Notice on the ArabicoPehlvi Series of Persian Coins. By EDWARD THOMAS, Esq., Bengal Civil Service.

In June, 1839, I submitted to our Society a brief paper on the subject of the Pehlvi Legends occurring on the medals of the early Mohammedan conquerors of Persia. As the memoir in question was avowedly left incomplete, consequent upon my return to my duties in India, I have since uniformly cherished the hope of being able, at some future period, to remedy the defects and supply the deficiencies of my first essay. In this view, on my arrival in this country a few months since, I commenced collecting new materials, and rigidly examining my previous inferences and conclusions, trusting that I might eventually succeed in compiling a treatise more worthy of the pages of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, than that which our Council had already complimented me by printing.

I, however, again find myself necessitated to bring my studies to a hasty conclusion, and for a similar reason, an event which I did not contemplate when I entered upon the present scheme of revision. Up to this moment I may say that I have done little or nothing towards advancing the inquiry, beyond accumulating fresh examples of the monograms representing the different mint cities of the Sassanian empire, and acquiring some few further illustrative specimens of the local currency of the Arabs in Persia prior to A.H. 76.

In pursuing the general palæographic question, I have latterly entered more fully upon the subordinate branch, embracing the contemporaneous system of writing in use on gems, seals, &c. Of these relics I have met with a considerable number of specimens, some of which contribute so much of novelty and variety in their leading devices and associate legends, that I have thought it advisable to append to the numismatic details which form the more prominent object of this note, a concise letterpress description of the former— aided by engravings of the more remarkable designs-together with written facsimiles of the latter, transferred by the anastatic process to the zinc plate, reproduced as pl. II.

I had originally some hesitation in coming before the public with

apology to offer; for I profess only to place before those who would interest themselves in the pursuit, a certain amount of unpublished materials I had collected for my own use, but which circumstances make it impossible for me to take immediate advantage of. At the same time I feel that the juncture is peculiarly auspicious for the contribution of any data that will aid in the elucidation of the capital question of the ancient philology of Central Asia, which is now attracting such deep attention in the learned world. And especially with reference to the doubts which are being raised as to the authenticity of the Zoroastrian languages, I would point to the significant fact implied in the extensively prevailing use of the Pehlvi character, as prima facie evidence of the existence and currency of the language itself, or of its mere dialectic modifications.

I would cite the universality of its influence throughout nearly the entire Persian empire; its employment as the vehicle of expression for the monumental records of the kings; its uniform official currency in the numerous mints of the Sassanian empire, and the geographical definition of its boundaries from the Tigris and the Persian Gulf on the S.W., to Merv and Zabulistan on the N.E., as manifested by the legends on the Arab coins issued within or near those limits.

But beyond this I would now exhibit its acceptance in the affairs of private life, as exemplified by the prevalence of its literal forms on the signets and seals of every-day use. And I would claim this much of deduction from the facts available, that whatever other forms of speech may have existed in the land, whatever of more perfect systems of writing may have been known or employed, it is clear that the seventeen letters of the Pehlvi alphabet sufficed to express all that either official routine or ordinary business transactions required.

From our inscriptions and coins we can fix with precision the date of the currency of this style of writing, and unhesitatingly claim its dominance in Persia from A.D. 223 to A.H. 76. Our new authorities, the gems, do not of themselves similarly define their own epoch; but we may hope, by testing the forms of the alphabet, and observing closely other significant indications, to fix approximately their place in history.

However, beyond their Palæographic value, these incidental records of past civilization possess a merit peculiarly their own, as the unprepared contributions of scattered individuals, which were neither designed by their original owners to meet the eye of the general public of contemporaneous existence, nor the inquisition of inquiring

public memorials exhibited by the current money, or the imperial self-laudation of the inscriptions,-here, each specimen represents the offering of a separate unit of the national family, his favourite emblem typified in his chosen device, his name, title, hope, or creed, exemplified in the legend which encircles his adopted symbol. As the signet of the king in its degree, these seals were equally of import in the estimation of those subordinate members of the Eastern race, in whose social code their stamp implied so much. Our collection, then, under one view of the seals and signets of men separated possibly by distance of time and place-united for us simply by one bond-the use of the same language—cannot fail to present us with ample matter for reflection.

I forbear to enlarge upon the subject in its present crude state, and in conclusion of these few introductory words, I would repeat, once for all, that in the present paper I put forth no matured solutions. I pretend to no enunciation of theories, though I offer problems without number to those who would seek to exercise their ingenuity in this department of Oriental archæology. But if perchance I write an introduction approaching to anything like a demonstration, it is upon the necessity of the case, that I would in all honesty communicate all I have learnt to those who may use it better.

ALPHABETS.

I have but few remarks to add to my former observations regarding the Pehlvi Alphabets, except, indeed, to admit the probability of the letter being, what Mr. Norris from the first asserted it to be, a longs. My former objections to accepting this identification were chiefly founded on the fact that among the three vowels, which were all that the ancient Pehlvi could boast of, that alphabet already possessed a clearly-defined []; and that in the manifest paucity of vowel-signs, so imperfect a literal series would be unlikely to elaborate the nice distinction implied in the use of a second or long vowel. The Persian Cuneiform possessed but one alphabetical I; and the orthographical systems of the neighbouring Semitic languages were alike deficient in any distinguishing power whereby to express in writing the modified sounds of this vowel. I, however, observe that

apology to offer; for I profess only to place before those who would interest themselves in the pursuit, a certain amount of unpublished materials I had collected for my own use, but which circumstances make it impossible for me to take immediate advantage of. At the same time I feel that the juncture is peculiarly auspicious for the contribution of any data that will aid in the elucidation of the capital question of the ancient philology of Central Asia, which is now attracting such deep attention in the learned world. And especially with reference to the doubts which are being raised as to the authenticity of the Zoroastrian languages, I would point to the significant fact implied in the extensively prevailing use of the Pehlvi character, as primâ facie evidence of the existence and currency of the language itself, or of its mere dialectic modifications.

I would cite the universality of its influence throughout nearly the entire Persian empire; its employment as the vehicle of expression for the monumental records of the kings; its uniform official currency in the numerous mints of the Sassanian empire, and the geographical definition of its boundaries from the Tigris and the Persian Gulf on the S.W., to Merv and Zabulistan on the N.E., as manifested by the legends on the Arab coins issued within or near those limits.

But beyond this I would now exhibit its acceptance in the affairs of private life, as exemplified by the prevalence of its literal forms on the signets and seals of every-day use. And I would claim this much of deduction from the facts available, that whatever other forms of speech may have existed in the land, whatever of more perfect systems of writing may have been known or employed, it is clear that the seventeen letters of the Pehlvi alphabet sufficed to express all that either official routine or ordinary business transactions required.

From our inscriptions and coins we can fix with precision the date of the currency of this style of writing, and unhesitatingly claim its dominance in Persia from A.D. 223 to A.H. 76. Our new authorities, the gems, do not of themselves similarly define their own epoch; but we may hope, by testing the forms of the alphabet, and observing closely other significant indications, to fix approximately their place in history.

However, beyond their Palæographic value, these incidental records of past civilization possess a merit peculiarly their own, as the unprepared contributions of scattered individuals, which were neither designed by their original owners to meet the eye of the general public of contemporaneous existence, nor the inquisition of inquiring