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TREASURES OF THE KASHMIR SMAST:

A Kidarite period AE unit featuring an Elephant and a Royal Globe from the Kashmir Smast- 

Kashmir Smast, Mardan, NWFP, Pakistan

 

By Waleed Ziad

 

1.         AE Unit

0.92 g. / 1.28x1.23mm

 

 

Obv.:      Standing elephant facing right; two aksharas above

Rev.:      Poppy-head / artichoke globe

 

The elephant image, especially one of such fineness of execution, is unknown in any Hunnic issues.  It may be derived from Indo Scythian or Indo Greek AE units circulating in Gandhara at the time.  It is noteworthy that the author has found in a Hunnic Kashmir Smast hoard, a bisected Indo Scythian AE unit of Azes II.  The Alxon lion series of the Kashmir Smast also feature an image derived from Scythian bronzes.  The aksharas on the top left read as follows (the second akshara is difficult to decipher):

 

La Ga

 

The symbol on the reverse is a poppy-head / artichoke royal globe found on most Kidara crowns, a symbol of sovereignty borrowed from the Sasanian and Kushano-Sasanian rulers.  It features on all Kidara AV staters and on virtually all Kidara and Kushano-Sasanian AR drachms.  It is often also associated with the pomegranate.  Gobl lists the crown varieties featuring this symbol from Kronen 1 through 6 and Kronen 71.  The Kidara attribution is fairly certain, as all Kidara crowns are modeled after Sasanian and Kushano-Sasanian prototypes, with royal symbols atop ridges and bands.  The Alxon Huns did not borrow Sasanian  crown imagery mainly because they never served as vassals to either of the kingdoms.