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⅛ Silver Kahavanu - Anonymous
| Issuer | Chola dynasty (Indian Hindu Dynasties) |
|---|---|
| Year | 970-1070 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Standing figure of a king or deity depicted in frontal pose, rendered in a stylized South Indian artistic tradition typical of Chola coinage. The central effigy displays the figure with arms slightly extended at the sides, with iconographic attributes consistent with royal or divine representation. The field surrounding the figure is plain, consistent with the small flan of this fractional denomination. The design is characteristic of the anonymous Chola kahavanu series, with bold if somewhat crude relief owing to the hammered technique and irregular flan. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Devanagari |
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| Additional information |
The kahavanu coinage of the Chola dynasty emerged during the imperial peak of Rajaraja I and Rajendra I, when the dynasty controlled much of South India and mounted naval expeditions as far as the Malay Peninsula and Sri Lanka. These fractional silver pieces circulated across a trade network that stretched well beyond the subcontract — into Southeast Asian ports where Chola commercial influence preceded formal military power. The anonymous attribution reflects genuine uncertainty about issuing authority within the dynasty rather than a cataloging gap.