Pamela Gutman

Ancient coins from Oc-Eo, Pyu, Arakan, and Dvaravati kingdoms along with the Mon sites of Thailand and Burma are featured in this short article. For those interested in the ancient trade between the Southeast Asian mainland and India (Pallava kingdom) or the development of symbols and motifs on Southeast Asian coins, this article is of interest. Religious symbols along with those important to conceptions of Indian kingship, many of which can be found on later coins (such as Thai pod duang or bullet coins), can be traced to the influences of these ancient kingdoms. Based on south Indian models and often depicting themes of fertility and prosperity, Gutman makes a case for coinage aiding the legitimacy of kings in the region. A short section on the weights of ancient coins may be of interest to some, but the 41 pictures depicting different motifs including conch shell and religious symbols are of more interest. The article is a fine resource for those seeking to place the coins of Southeast Asia into their larger historical picture. Well cited, this is a great resource for those interested in numismatics particularly focusing on ancient Burma.

Pamela Gutman's article "The Ancient Coinage of Southeast Asia" was published by the Journal of the Siam Society (vol 66.1, 1978) and is available online through the Society.… (mehr)