DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45399#0077
THE INTERNATIONAL NUMISMATA ORIENTALIA.
ADVANCED NOTICE.
Since the issue of the tentative prospectus of an International Numismata Orientalia, based upon the original
edition of Marsden’s Numismata Orientalia, some important modifications of the preliminary plan and general scope
of the work have recommended themselves to the Publishers, which have equally commended themselves to the Editor’s
chief supporters.
The first design comprehended the narrow purpose of the continuation and completion of the substance of the
old text published in 1822, with the concurrent reproduction of the admirably executed Copper-plates, prepared for
Marsden’s work, which had recently become the property of Messrs. Trubner & Co.
In both these departments the present undertaking now assumes a new and independent form. In lieu of
accepting the task of making coins follow and supplement history, it seeks to prove the claims of Numismatic
science to a higher mission in the illustration of the annals of olden time, to a power of instruction and teaching
where written history is defective, and, in its lowest phase, of enabling us to test and rectify imperfectly preserved facts.
Under this expanded view, therefore, many subordinate sections of Marsden’s old work will either be reduced to
due proportions in reference to the uninstructive nature of their materials or omitted altogether: while on the other hand a
class of subjects uncontemplated in the first International scheme will be introduced and included in this revised pro-
gramme. For instance, instead of placing the Dynasties of the Khalifs of Baghdad, as of old, at the head of the list,
a previous monograph has been devoted to the illustration of the first efforts in the art of coining, as exhibited in the
electrum and gold pieces of Lydia and Persia, by Mr. Head. Mr. Gardner’s contribution on the Parthians is now
presented. These will be followed by the Phoenician coins of Asia Minor by our eminent German coadjutor, Dr.
Euting; and Mr. Madden, whose speciality lies in the “ History of the Jewish Coinages,” will hereafter embody in our
pages his exhaustive studies in that division of critical numismatics.
General Cunningham’s Indo-Scythian series, the materials of which—enriched by the unprecedentedly valuable
contents of the late Peshawar find—are arranged and on their way home from India—will now find a fitting introduction
in a full and thrice-elaborated review of “the Bactrian successors of Alexander the Great,” to which, as a labour of
love, he has devoted himself since his first appearance as the chosen Numismatic coadjutor of James Prinsep in 1836.
Secondly, in regard to the illustrations of the old work, which it was once proposed to rely upon : they have
been found, however excellent in themselves, practically unsuitable, either in grouping or mechanical accuracy, for the
advanced demands of the present day. Indeed, the improved processes by which science has taught us to obtain, at
a less cost, absolute JAw facsimiles, has necessarily superseded the hand and eye of the engraver, past or present, however
perfect in his craft.
As far as the immediate state of the publication is concerned, it may be mentioned as a plea for seeming
delay—that, in an amateur work of this kind, there are many obstacles to continuous or periodical issues, and it
has been the Editor’s aim rather to avoid such publications as were merely mechanical or repetitive ; but, on the other
hand, there has been no lack of support of the most efficient character, either at home or abroad — indeed, the
Editor has had to decline many offers of contributions on the part of Numismatists of established reputation, as
our lists are virtually made up beyond any prospect of absence of matter or immediate chance of publication of many of
the already accepted papers.
Mr. Rhys Davids’ Essay on Ceylon Coins only awaits the completion of the illustrations. Mr. Rogers’ paper
is ready and appears as Part IV. Sir W. Elliot and the Editor are engaged upon the Coins of Southern India—
which have lately received some important accessions from Kolhapur. M. Sauvaire’s article has long been ready, under
Mr. Rogers’ careful translation, but its length has hitherto precluded its publication.
M. de Saulcy is, as of old, ever prepared to come to the front when his aid is called for,—and Dr. Blochmann
has already done so much, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, towards the illustration of the local
Coinages, that we have merely to reprint his papers whenever the serial arrangement of our articles may call for a con-
secutive continuation os the Pathan coins of Imperial Dehli. The Editor’s own section of the general series is likewise
reserved for somewhat similar motives.
M. Gregorieff’s completion of his Tatar Dynasties has been deferred during his late duties as President of the Oriental
Congress at St. Petersburg. M. Tiesenhausen, whom we might have enlisted and who would willingly join our ranks
at this time, has anticipated us in his elaborate survey of “Les Monnaies des Khalifes Orientaux ” (1873), which may
well claim to constitute t/ie standard authority, in its own department, for many years to come. In another division of
Numismatics, the Russian savants have been in advance of us, in the publication of the plates of Sassanian coins
representing the patient accumulations of 30 years of the lise of M. de Bartholomaei (1873—second issue 1875, with
an introduction by Prof. B. Dorn). These examples, however, prove less instructive than might have been anticipated.
The sameness and iteration of the issues of the Sassanians has always been a subject of remark, but the singular
deficiency of important novelties has seldom been so prominently displayed as in this collection, whose representative
specimens spread over 32 well-filled 410. plates.—[E. T.]
Subjects Already Undertaken, with the Names of Contributors.
Phoenician Coins
Coins of the Jews
Bactrian and Indo-Scythic Coins ....
Coins of the Sassanians of Persia ....
---early Arabico-Byzantine adaptation
-Southern India
-Ceylon
-Arakan and Pegu . .
-the Khalifs of Spain, etc.
- the Fatimites of Egypt
- the Ikhshsdss . . . .
the Seljuks and Atabeks .
--- the Bengal Sultans . .
-the Russo-Tatar Dynasties
Dr. Julius Euting, Strassburg.
Mr. F. W. Madden.
Gen. A. Cunningham, Archseological Surveyor of India.
Mr. Edward Thomas, F.R.S.
M. F. de Saulcy, Paris.
Sir Walter Elliot, late Madras C.S.
Mr. Rhys Davids, late Ceylon C.S.
Sir Arthur Phayre, late Commissioner of British Burmah.
Don Pascual de Gayangos, Madrid.
M. II. Sauvaire, Cairo.
Mr. Reginald Stuart Poole, Keeper of Coins, B.M.
Mr. Stanley L. Poole, C.C.C., Oxford.
Dr. H. Blochmann, Calcutta.
Professor Gregorieff, St. Petersburg.
ADVANCED NOTICE.
Since the issue of the tentative prospectus of an International Numismata Orientalia, based upon the original
edition of Marsden’s Numismata Orientalia, some important modifications of the preliminary plan and general scope
of the work have recommended themselves to the Publishers, which have equally commended themselves to the Editor’s
chief supporters.
The first design comprehended the narrow purpose of the continuation and completion of the substance of the
old text published in 1822, with the concurrent reproduction of the admirably executed Copper-plates, prepared for
Marsden’s work, which had recently become the property of Messrs. Trubner & Co.
In both these departments the present undertaking now assumes a new and independent form. In lieu of
accepting the task of making coins follow and supplement history, it seeks to prove the claims of Numismatic
science to a higher mission in the illustration of the annals of olden time, to a power of instruction and teaching
where written history is defective, and, in its lowest phase, of enabling us to test and rectify imperfectly preserved facts.
Under this expanded view, therefore, many subordinate sections of Marsden’s old work will either be reduced to
due proportions in reference to the uninstructive nature of their materials or omitted altogether: while on the other hand a
class of subjects uncontemplated in the first International scheme will be introduced and included in this revised pro-
gramme. For instance, instead of placing the Dynasties of the Khalifs of Baghdad, as of old, at the head of the list,
a previous monograph has been devoted to the illustration of the first efforts in the art of coining, as exhibited in the
electrum and gold pieces of Lydia and Persia, by Mr. Head. Mr. Gardner’s contribution on the Parthians is now
presented. These will be followed by the Phoenician coins of Asia Minor by our eminent German coadjutor, Dr.
Euting; and Mr. Madden, whose speciality lies in the “ History of the Jewish Coinages,” will hereafter embody in our
pages his exhaustive studies in that division of critical numismatics.
General Cunningham’s Indo-Scythian series, the materials of which—enriched by the unprecedentedly valuable
contents of the late Peshawar find—are arranged and on their way home from India—will now find a fitting introduction
in a full and thrice-elaborated review of “the Bactrian successors of Alexander the Great,” to which, as a labour of
love, he has devoted himself since his first appearance as the chosen Numismatic coadjutor of James Prinsep in 1836.
Secondly, in regard to the illustrations of the old work, which it was once proposed to rely upon : they have
been found, however excellent in themselves, practically unsuitable, either in grouping or mechanical accuracy, for the
advanced demands of the present day. Indeed, the improved processes by which science has taught us to obtain, at
a less cost, absolute JAw facsimiles, has necessarily superseded the hand and eye of the engraver, past or present, however
perfect in his craft.
As far as the immediate state of the publication is concerned, it may be mentioned as a plea for seeming
delay—that, in an amateur work of this kind, there are many obstacles to continuous or periodical issues, and it
has been the Editor’s aim rather to avoid such publications as were merely mechanical or repetitive ; but, on the other
hand, there has been no lack of support of the most efficient character, either at home or abroad — indeed, the
Editor has had to decline many offers of contributions on the part of Numismatists of established reputation, as
our lists are virtually made up beyond any prospect of absence of matter or immediate chance of publication of many of
the already accepted papers.
Mr. Rhys Davids’ Essay on Ceylon Coins only awaits the completion of the illustrations. Mr. Rogers’ paper
is ready and appears as Part IV. Sir W. Elliot and the Editor are engaged upon the Coins of Southern India—
which have lately received some important accessions from Kolhapur. M. Sauvaire’s article has long been ready, under
Mr. Rogers’ careful translation, but its length has hitherto precluded its publication.
M. de Saulcy is, as of old, ever prepared to come to the front when his aid is called for,—and Dr. Blochmann
has already done so much, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, towards the illustration of the local
Coinages, that we have merely to reprint his papers whenever the serial arrangement of our articles may call for a con-
secutive continuation os the Pathan coins of Imperial Dehli. The Editor’s own section of the general series is likewise
reserved for somewhat similar motives.
M. Gregorieff’s completion of his Tatar Dynasties has been deferred during his late duties as President of the Oriental
Congress at St. Petersburg. M. Tiesenhausen, whom we might have enlisted and who would willingly join our ranks
at this time, has anticipated us in his elaborate survey of “Les Monnaies des Khalifes Orientaux ” (1873), which may
well claim to constitute t/ie standard authority, in its own department, for many years to come. In another division of
Numismatics, the Russian savants have been in advance of us, in the publication of the plates of Sassanian coins
representing the patient accumulations of 30 years of the lise of M. de Bartholomaei (1873—second issue 1875, with
an introduction by Prof. B. Dorn). These examples, however, prove less instructive than might have been anticipated.
The sameness and iteration of the issues of the Sassanians has always been a subject of remark, but the singular
deficiency of important novelties has seldom been so prominently displayed as in this collection, whose representative
specimens spread over 32 well-filled 410. plates.—[E. T.]
Subjects Already Undertaken, with the Names of Contributors.
Phoenician Coins
Coins of the Jews
Bactrian and Indo-Scythic Coins ....
Coins of the Sassanians of Persia ....
---early Arabico-Byzantine adaptation
-Southern India
-Ceylon
-Arakan and Pegu . .
-the Khalifs of Spain, etc.
- the Fatimites of Egypt
- the Ikhshsdss . . . .
the Seljuks and Atabeks .
--- the Bengal Sultans . .
-the Russo-Tatar Dynasties
Dr. Julius Euting, Strassburg.
Mr. F. W. Madden.
Gen. A. Cunningham, Archseological Surveyor of India.
Mr. Edward Thomas, F.R.S.
M. F. de Saulcy, Paris.
Sir Walter Elliot, late Madras C.S.
Mr. Rhys Davids, late Ceylon C.S.
Sir Arthur Phayre, late Commissioner of British Burmah.
Don Pascual de Gayangos, Madrid.
M. II. Sauvaire, Cairo.
Mr. Reginald Stuart Poole, Keeper of Coins, B.M.
Mr. Stanley L. Poole, C.C.C., Oxford.
Dr. H. Blochmann, Calcutta.
Professor Gregorieff, St. Petersburg.