Ikshvaku Period Coin

Published: 3rd May, 2024

Context

A remarkable discovery of a coin hoard has been made in Phanigiri village of Nagarammandal, located in Suryapet district.

About

A hoard of coins, each weighing approximately 2.3 grams, was found buried at a depth of 40 cm beneath the ground surface within the southernmost monastic cell.
These coins feature an elephant motif on the obverse side and Ujjain symbol on the reverse.
Dating back to the Ikshvaku period, these coins offer valuable insights into ancient economic and cultural practices.
Phanigiri village is surrounded by numerous Buddhist sites, including Vardhamanukota, Gajula Banda, Tirumalagiri, Nagaram, Singaram, Aravapalli, Iyyavaripalli, Arlagaddagudem, and Yeleswaram, indicating its historical significance.
The village has been inhabited since pre/proto-historic times and has witnessed various periods of occupation, ranging from early historic to early medieval and AsafJahi periods, flourishing from 1000 BCE to the 18th century CE.

Fact Box: Ikshvaku period

The Ikshvaku kingdom flourished for about one hundred years, from 220 to 320 CE.
It patronised Buddhism, Brahminism, as well as older folk religions.
Their capital city, Vijayapuri, had at least 18 Brahminical temples, mostly along the Krishna riverfront.

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