2016-10-25 Tue

Buried deep underground, lying in earthen pots are thousands and thousands of ancient coins of precious metals waiting for someone to stumble upon. Many of these coins are found in hoards also known as treasure troves.

Hoards provide a useful method of providing dates through coins. The coins found can be used as a concrete source in creating chronologies. Hoards can also be considered an indicator of the relative degree of unrest in ancient societies.

Indo-Greek coins introduced a new phase of coinage in Northern-western part of Indian sub-continent in 2nd century B.C. Today, we know about more than 36 Indo-Greek rulers only through their coins issued.

A group of 257 coins are known from Malakhand hoard named after its find-spot (now in Pakistan) and are currently housed in Smithsonian Museum. All the coins in the hoard are of debased silver tetradrachms and provide with a treasure of knowledge about three dynasties, Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians and Indo-Parthians.

Coin hoards can give a lot of information if put to use.