Heritage
History in Our Hands
Photo: Prabir Das
Coins of ancient times can be compared to today's media. An ancient coin can tell you about who was in power during its origination, offering detailed insights about the reign and disposition of the monarch of a particular place. In ancient Greece, for example, coins with olive branches on them would mean that the ruler of a particular kingdom desired peace. A coin with arrows on it would mean that the king was a war-monger.
While most of us are content with earning, spending and saving money, there are some whose joy in lucre is derived from from collecting the shiny coins we're so eager to get our hands on. Starting from the Roman emperor Julius Caesar to American president Thomas Jefferson, coin collectors who assiduously track and hoard rare or precious coins are an interesting bunch, with great stories to tell.
Md Noorul Islam considers collecting coins to be a passion rather than a mere hobby. With over 2000 ancient coins in his collection, the 84-year old former civil engineer still feels the excitement and thrill of adding a new coin to his valuable compilation.
Islam was entrusted with the construction of an irrigation project under the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation of the then East Pakistan government. When he started levelling the land, Islam found little buildings surrounded by a jungle of trees. Realising that he had unearthed the ruins of an ancient civilisation, Islam burnt down the jungle to unearth the city underneath. What he discovered within the ruins changed the young engineer's life forever.
He went to the then Chairman of the Islamic History and Culture Department of Dhaka University, Professor ABM Habibullah with the cache of coins he had discovered in the ruins. Eager to preserve a part of ancient Bengal, Professor Habibullah entrusted the responsibility of further excavation of the said spot to eminent archaeologist Dr Nazimuddin Ahmed. After studying the coins for nearly a month with a team of 30 scholars, Dr Nazimuddin realised that the coins were of immense cultural and historic value. He sought to ensure complete preservation of all the priceless coins trapped in the ruins. However, hopes of preserving these national treasures could not immediately be met due to a lack of funds from the government of East Pakistan. Dr Nazimuddin then approached the Central government of Pakistan to fund the project but managed only to collect an insignificant amount.
"I assured Dr Nazimuddin that I would pay for the expenses if he carried out the excavation in a way that he sought fit. I had sufficient funds for the irrigation project. But he didn't agree to my proposal. The excavation for the irrigation project was to be used for commercial purposes while we needed to excavate the land for archaeological purposes. Nazimuddin argued that he wouldn't be able to tell a lie,” says Islam.
The famed archaeologist was able to extract rare coins from only three buildings of the ruined city. There still remain countless buildings, roads, tanks and 'ghats' that need to be excavated, says Islam. As Islam has studied the ancient maps of Bengal, he believes that the city of Ramabati of Rampal Dev of ancient Bengal could be discovered if proper study were to be done of the place.
Islam has a huge collection of rare, ancient coins. Photo: Prabir Das
A routine excavation for a government project led to a lifelong interest to learn about history as retold by rare coins. In the process of pursuing his hobby, Islam began to appreciate the historical significance of the coins. As a civil engineer, he didn't have much understanding of the history documented by the coins he collected. As his interest gradually deepened, he sought out the help of noted historians of his time for advice. The list of history books recommended by the experts helped Islam understand how the rare coins he'd collected during his many excavations could help him relate to the happenings of centuries ago.
Most of the coins displayed in the recently concluded photography exhibition “Coins From Bangladesh”, organised by Standard Chartered Bank and the cultural group Nymphea, were taken from Islam's collection of rare coins. Dating from the Hindu Dynasties to the Mughal Sultanate to the British Empire to modern times, the coins collected by Islam and displayed at the exhibition offer a detailed understanding of how power dynamics of Bengal switched hands from one monarch to another. The photographic narrative moves from the pre-historic Bengal before moving on to the Pakistan period and finally coming to Bangladesh.
Coins are not just a medium for commercial dealings; they are history in the making. Each symbol engraved on a coin offers you firsthand information of the past that you can only learn about through indirect sources. Coins can tell you about the government, political regimes, economies and religion of an era. Each coin is stamped with the independent identity of its age and reign.
The Janapada series, that include coins of ancient Bengal dating around 6th Century BC, are punch-marked, made of silver and are of an irregular shape. The gold coins of the Early Deva Dynasty, discovered from Slban Vihara in Mainamati, Comilla through an excavation in 1956, offer an insight into the 7th Century AD Bengal reigned by Hindu rulers devoted to religion. A closer look at a coin of that era will show you detailed artwork of a king standing in a particular posture, holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other, with “Sri” in Brahmi script stamped in a corner. The reverse side of the coin holds the image of Goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus with “Sri” in Brahmi stamped in the upper field.
The intricate art of the Hindu dynasties gave way to a focus on calligraphy during the Sultani, Afghan and Mughal periods. The coins of the Bengal Sultanate would usually have the 'kalima' on one side and the title of the Sultan issuer on the other. Coins of the Mughal Dynasty displayed at the exhibition, by comparison held the simple inscription of the ruler's name on one side of the coin and the name of the mint house it was created in on the flip side.
Md Noorul Islam is an avid numismatist. Photo: Prabir Das
The coins of the British Empire were more refined in shape and structure. However, the graceful art of hand-made coins was replaced by the efficiency of coin mints with resourceful machinery. One side of the coin held the bust of Queen Victoria looking up at her subjects while the reverse side showed the denomination of the coin and the year of its issue.
Even though there were around 40 mint towns producing coins in ancient Bengal during 600 BC, Bangladesh no longer manufactures their own coins, preferring to import them from abroad, says archaeologist Bulbul Ahmed, also the main photographer behind the exhibition. Ahmed is also the co-writer of “Coins from Bangladesh” along with AKM Shahnawaz and “The Mahasthan Hoard II of Silver Punch Marked Coins” with Md Noorul Islam.
“There were coin mints in Bengal even before the “civilized” West could have thought of them. The mint towns of the country were not preserved after machines were introduced by the British Empire to create money in united India,” says Ahmed.
It makes more sense to import coins from abroad as you'd have to spend more than its worth to create a coin in the country. It also goes to note that the commercial significance and worth of coins is deteriorating everyday. Preserving the ancient mint towns could, however, add to our national heritage and history, says Ahmed.
Novice collectors should have a concerted focus on collecting coins from Bangladesh instead of being attracted to the more refined seeming foreign currencies, says Islam. As Bangladeshis, they should have a deeper interest in preserving the history and legacy of their own country, he adds.
“Most amateur collectors don't understand the value of the coins found in their own country. They are unable to realise the history behind ancient coins of our land and thus, are blind to their worth,” Islam says.
Every collector could have a better understanding of coin collection if they have a better understanding of history. Islam inspires collectors to dig through history books and learn about the people, places, and events that existed when the coin was in use. If one doesn't learn history, they won't be able to appreciate or make others appreciate the value of rare coins, says Islam.
Islam's love for his collection has led him to establish a museum of rare coins on one of his lands. But he is worried about the lack of funds that restrict him from going ahead with his pet project.
"This intensive collection could be used by students and scholars of history and archaeology. However, I am having immense difficulty in preserving the coins due to a lack of funding. We all know what happens when we involve the government and so, I don't want their help. I don't want my existence to be obliterated. If no one is ready to help me with the finances, I don't know what will happen to my valuable collection after my death,” Islam concludes.
The photography exhibition “Coins From Bangladesh” displayed pictures of rare coins dating from the Hindu Dynasties to modern times. Photo: Prabir Das
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