2026-09-28 Mon

The Cholas were one of the three major Tamil dynasties of the Sangam age, alongside the Cheras and Pandyas, with Uraiyur as an important early capital and Kaveripattinam (Puhar) as a major port. The coinage of the Sangam-age Cholas offers a fascinating glimpse into the symbolic world of early historic Tamilakam. Unlike later Chola coins, which could carry more standardized designs and legends, many early Chola copper pieces are uninscribed and rely almost entirely on animals, weapons, ritual objects and other auspicious symbols to convey meaning.

The obverse depicts a Tiger/ lion standing facing right, with a strung bow placed to its right. Above is a chakra or wheel, while another small and presently uncertain symbol (Thunderbolt) appears below it. The entire composition is enclosed within a dotted border.

The tiger, rather than the lion, is the emblem most securely associated with the Chola dynasty in Sangam literature and historical studies. This makes the lion on this particular specimen especially intriguing and a reminder that not every animal appearing on Chola-associated coinage should automatically be interpreted as the dynastic emblem.

The reverse is even more elaborate. It presents a row of auspicious and ceremonial symbols, described from left to right as a weapon, whisk, lamp-post and umbrella. Below these appears an elephant facing right, while a cockerel standard stands in front of it.

The elephant was an important element of the symbolic repertoire of ancient Indian coinage. In the Sangam-period Tamil region, elephants occur frequently on the coinage of different political authorities, appearing alongside standards, weapons and other symbols. Comparable early Tamil coins demonstrate the extensive use of elephants together with symbolic configurations rather than written legends.

One of the most fascinating features of Sangam-age Chola coinage is its absence of inscriptions on many specimens.

At only 1.12 g, this copper coin is a compact yet remarkably rich example of Sangam-age numismatic art. The combination of lion, bow, chakra, elephant, cockerel standard and a sequence of auspicious objects creates a complex visual composition without the use of a written legend.