Hephthalite Coin from an Early Medieval Burial at Gorny-10, Northern Altai

We describe a silver coin found in one of the burials at Gorny-10 cemetery in northern Altai, excavated by expeditions from the Altai State University in 2000–2003. The coin was discovered in a destroyed burial of children (No. 46) along with other informative artifacts, which are rather uncommon in such burials. Judging by horse harness and ornaments, the assemblage falls in the interval from the late 6th to early 8th century AD. The coin is an imitation of the drachm of the Sasanian shah Pērōz I to classify as type or emission 287, according to R. Göbl, that is one of the most common types of Hephthalite coins. The elemental concentration of the specimen has a high content of silver and no gold. The specimen has no analogs in North or Central Asia. It could have been brought to the forest-steppe Altai by Türks, who conquered the Hephthalite Empire in the fi rst decades of the late 6th century AD.

THE ROMAN SILVER COIN ASSEMBLAGE FROM THE FRONTOVOYE 3 NECROPOLIS TOMB 3 (SOUTHWESTERN CRIMEA): INVESTIGATION OF METAL BY MEANS OF X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY AND PB ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS

В статье представлены результаты исследования химического состава металла и изотопного состава Pb в серебре группы римских монет из раскопок могильника Фронтовое 3 (Юго-Западный Крым). Из погребения 3 происходят семь монет Септимия Севера, Плавтиллы, Гордиана III, Филиппа I, отчеканенные на монетном дворе Рима. Данные о составе металла этих монет сопоставлены с результатами анализа других римских монет данного периода. Исследования изотопного состава Pb в римских серебряных монетах из Фронтового 3 и денариях из раскопок Горгиппии показывают, что наиболее вероятным источником серебра для чеканки римских монет, найденных на территории Северного Причерноморья, являлись стратиформные серебро-полиметаллические месторождения Центрального массива Франции. The article presents the results of investigation of a group of Roman silver coins from the excavations of the Frontovoye 3 burial ground (the Southwestern Crimea). Seven coins of Septimius Severus, Plautilla, Gordian III, and Philip I, struck in the mint of Rome, were discovered in tomb 3. Data on the metal composition of these coins are compared with the results of analysis of other Roman coins of this period. The Pb isotopic analysis of the Roman silver coins from Frontovoye 3 and the denarii from the excavations at Gorgippia shows that the stratiform silver-polymetallic deposits of the Massif Central in France was the most likely source of silver for mintage of Roman coins found in the North Pontic Region.

Conservation of Metalic Objects: A Case Study of Old Silver Coin

India is a land of rich cultural as well as natural heritage presents both in tangible and intangible forms. This rich heritage needs to be preserved and safeguarded for future generations. Lots of culture and many cultural objects testify this. These objects can be anything like metal, pottery leather or anything else which possesses cultural value, aesthetic value, economic value or historical value. These cultural objects can be beneficial only if they are taken care of properly so that they can be prevented from deterioration. Metal conservation is activity dedicated to the protection and preservation of historical and archaeological object made partly or entirely of metal. All methods cannot be applied to all objects as such. Research has to be done before the technique is applied in the conservation and restoration of metal objects. If we talk about the coins so these coins also play the great role in the various studies like Anthropological, Historical and other studies. Present paper is based on a case study of old and corroded silver coin from the personal collection of one of the authors. This study was carried out at home during Covid-19 Pandemic. In this paper we also talked about the documentation, complete conservation and restoration processes of silver coin.

Excavations at Eski-Kermen Site in 2019

2019 archaeological studies allow to define the layout of the central part of the medieval town on Eski-Kermen plateau, Crimea. The central part of the town included the main basilica with a square approximately 5 m wide in front of it. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the last period of the town’s existence, the western part of the square was closed by a parapet made of massive limestone blocks. Behind the parapet were residential quarters with two-storey tiled manors. The project resulted in the discovery of evidence preservation of religious life on the plateau and in the 14th century. In slab-graves cleared out in 2018–2019 the archaeo­logists first discovered a silver coin of Ozbeg Khan, coined in 1320–1341, as well as golden earrings (the 14th century) in the shape of a question mark, and a clay jar (the 14–15th centuries). All graves of the first half of the 14th century were dug in a destruction stratum dated late 13th century. Probably, after most quarters perished in fire, the townspeople continued resi­ding in a central part of the town. Most likely, at the end of the 13th and 14th centuries a chapel was added to the main basilica. In 1930s the researchers found by the basilica a tomb model of the 14th century cross-in-square temple carved from local limestone now kept in Hermi­tage museum.

A sturdy regional currency: The continuous use of Maḥmūdīs in Gujarat under the Mughals

The Mughal Empire established a single trimetallic currency with the silver rupee as its basic coin. Yet, strangely, its most commercialised penance Gujarat continued to use alongside the imperial rupee a local silver coin called ma°mødð. The paper examines how this came about and how Gujarat in effect got divided into two zones, in one of which the rupee was the main circulating medium, in the other, the ma°mødð.