DOI article:
Smagur, Emilia: Vaishnavite influences in the Kushan coinage
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31074#0066
EMILIA SMAGUR
The pantheon of deities depicted on Kushan coins is rooted in the Iranian
and Bactrian traditions.' However, Indian cuiture began to make a visible impact
sińce the times when Northern India had become a part of the Kushan EmpireF
The iconography of the reverses of three unique coins, two of them issued by
Huvishka (150-i90) and one by Vasudeva i (190-230) bears strong induences
of the Vrishni-viras cuit and early Vaishnavism. In these representations, a conch
and a lotus are the characteristic elements, whereas in the case of the coins issued
by Huvishka the specihc features include eight arms and iconographic elements
that were newly introduced to the Kushan coinage. These attributes constitute the
distinctive features of sculptural depictions ofVishnu or Vasudeva-Krishna.
In this study I will present these images in their iconographic context and ex-
plain why these attributes may have been the elements enabling the Identification
of a given representation as Vaishnavite. I will follow the approach explaining the
process of creation of new divine representations for the use of coinage, proposed
by ZeymaT and further explained by Cribb/ according to whom the Kushans,
being the continuators of the coinage traditiom* that requires the ruler to place an
image of the deity worshipped by him on his coins, had to create the images for
these gods that had not appeared before in art in an anthropomorphic form. The
use of attributes enabling the identification of a deity was a measure borrowed
from Hellenie art. By adding relevant attributes to a basie human figurę, the deities
were given an identity and became recognizable. For some of them a basie model
was taken from the then-contemporary Indian sculpture, similar to the described
representations, but new iconographic motifs were also added. The iconography of
these coins will be explained bearing this information in mind.
KUSHAN COINS BEARING VAISHNAVITE INFLUENCES
The first of these coins (PI. 1, Fig. 1) is a copper tetradrachmmintedby Huvish-
ka and preserved in the British Museum collectionF On the reverse an eight-armed
god is depicted, standing ffontally, with his head surrounded by a halo. Between the
palms of his hands, close to his chest, he probably holds a conch, in the extended
' BRACEY2012a: 197-217.
^ These events took place during the rule of Vima Kadphises (early 2"^ century). Ali dates in this paper
refer to the Common Era unless stated otherwise. Regnal periods of the Kushan kings are quoted after: BRACEY
2012b:117.
^ ZEYMAL 1997: 245-266; CRIBB 1997: 32; IDEM 2008: 124.
"CR1BB 1997: 31-32.
^ For coinage tradition see CRIBB 2003: 1—21; IDEM 2007: 333-375.
6 Museum Number: 1991,0416.4, CB E.C2-i lu (lA/26b). AH catalogue numbers preceded with "CB" as
well as attributed to pailicular mints are used according to CRIBB and BRACEY with KHAN and TANDON
(forthcoming). The catalogue numbers preceded with "GÓBL" are used according to GÓBL 1984.
The pantheon of deities depicted on Kushan coins is rooted in the Iranian
and Bactrian traditions.' However, Indian cuiture began to make a visible impact
sińce the times when Northern India had become a part of the Kushan EmpireF
The iconography of the reverses of three unique coins, two of them issued by
Huvishka (150-i90) and one by Vasudeva i (190-230) bears strong induences
of the Vrishni-viras cuit and early Vaishnavism. In these representations, a conch
and a lotus are the characteristic elements, whereas in the case of the coins issued
by Huvishka the specihc features include eight arms and iconographic elements
that were newly introduced to the Kushan coinage. These attributes constitute the
distinctive features of sculptural depictions ofVishnu or Vasudeva-Krishna.
In this study I will present these images in their iconographic context and ex-
plain why these attributes may have been the elements enabling the Identification
of a given representation as Vaishnavite. I will follow the approach explaining the
process of creation of new divine representations for the use of coinage, proposed
by ZeymaT and further explained by Cribb/ according to whom the Kushans,
being the continuators of the coinage traditiom* that requires the ruler to place an
image of the deity worshipped by him on his coins, had to create the images for
these gods that had not appeared before in art in an anthropomorphic form. The
use of attributes enabling the identification of a deity was a measure borrowed
from Hellenie art. By adding relevant attributes to a basie human figurę, the deities
were given an identity and became recognizable. For some of them a basie model
was taken from the then-contemporary Indian sculpture, similar to the described
representations, but new iconographic motifs were also added. The iconography of
these coins will be explained bearing this information in mind.
KUSHAN COINS BEARING VAISHNAVITE INFLUENCES
The first of these coins (PI. 1, Fig. 1) is a copper tetradrachmmintedby Huvish-
ka and preserved in the British Museum collectionF On the reverse an eight-armed
god is depicted, standing ffontally, with his head surrounded by a halo. Between the
palms of his hands, close to his chest, he probably holds a conch, in the extended
' BRACEY2012a: 197-217.
^ These events took place during the rule of Vima Kadphises (early 2"^ century). Ali dates in this paper
refer to the Common Era unless stated otherwise. Regnal periods of the Kushan kings are quoted after: BRACEY
2012b:117.
^ ZEYMAL 1997: 245-266; CRIBB 1997: 32; IDEM 2008: 124.
"CR1BB 1997: 31-32.
^ For coinage tradition see CRIBB 2003: 1—21; IDEM 2007: 333-375.
6 Museum Number: 1991,0416.4, CB E.C2-i lu (lA/26b). AH catalogue numbers preceded with "CB" as
well as attributed to pailicular mints are used according to CRIBB and BRACEY with KHAN and TANDON
(forthcoming). The catalogue numbers preceded with "GÓBL" are used according to GÓBL 1984.