Sultans of Delhi: Iltutmish (1211-36AD), Lots of horses, Jitals.

Started by THCoins, February 07, 2016, 06:46:18 PM

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THCoins

Already some time ago i had planned to fill some voids in our already very well filled index. But time is in short supply lately. So when i am presently faced with the the choice of looking TV or doing something usefull the next 30 minutes i chose the latter.

Under the rule of Delhi Sultan Iltutmish quite some different coins were issues, in silver, billon and copper. A lot of these are already present on WOC, just look in the index. Missing still are a number of different Horseman jitals which are attributed to the Lahore mint. These show a stylized horseman on one side with "Sri Hamira" in Nagari. On the other side an Arab text. It is the style of both the arab writing, and the bit deviant style of the Nagari writing, which led to the attribution to Lahore.
The first two types are present in the "Jitals"catalog under Tye#376. Note however, that the design of the horses head differs markedly, and also the text side of both specimen is different:
On the upper it reads "Al-sultan/al-mu'azzam/Iltutmish/as-sultan".
On the lower this is "Shams/al-dunya wa'l din/Iltutmish/al-sultan".
The first text type is included under Tye#376.1 and 376.2. The second text type under 376.4 and 376.5. (.3 no txt is shown)
Because of the different texts Goron&Goenka decided to divide these two into two different types.
Tye#376.1/2 are classified as D57, Tye#376.4/5 as G&G D58.  Bi 14/15 mm, 3.18/3.5 gr

THCoins

The D57 and D58 jital type in the previous post both showed a stylized body of the horseman.
There is a third type, where the body of the horseman is replaced by a star. In G&G this becomes D59. In the "Jitals" catalog mr. Tye makes a further subdivision. Type Tye#377.1 has a dot in at the back of the horse, in Tye#377.2 the circle at the horses back is subdivided by lines.
Below are both of these subtypes. I photographed them side by side to show that not only the design details are different. These two subtypes also have a different character in material and strike characteristics.
Both G&G D59, Tye#377.1 and 377.2, 16/14 mm, 3.62/3.58 gr.

Tariq

Here is another specimen of D57




Also adding a variety of D57. The Writing style of the word Al-muazzam & Iyaltamish is not straight.
This writing style can also be observed on Billon Jitals of Razia (D105)


THCoins

Thanks for bringing these into attention again Tariq. I agree with your observation. G&G57 seems to lump two stylistically very different types under one number. In the Tye catalog, the first one in my opening post is classified as Tye#376.2, this is the same as the first one you show. I believe this type is the direct continuation of the similar type issued under Taj-ud-dun Yildiz (1206-1215) from Lahore (Tye 201, G&GD26).
Your second fits with Tye#376.1. Problem with the Tye classification in my opinion is that it also includes the types with a different text as subtypes under the same number. This may be confusing. Also, the resemblance between Tye#201 and Tye#376.2 would suggest that Tye 376.2 predates Tye#376.1 (or Tye#376.1 was issued from a different mint).
It's not only the writing style of al-muazzam that differs. The "Ha" of Hammira above the head of the horse is different. Also the ending of the lower word "Sultan" differs. In Tye#376.1 it is clearly "SultaN", while in Tye#376.2 it more seems like an attempt at writing "Sultani". The significance of these differences still is open to interpretation to me.
I agree on the similarity of the writing style on the Razziya Jitals. However, it is difficult to see the Tye#376 type as direct ancestor i think, as the style of the horseman is completely different.

Below first a Tye#376.1 type of mine.
The second is an example of Tye#201, to show the resemblance to Tye 376.2.

Tariq

An interesting specimen of D59, where the coin appears to have been double struck.

THCoins

I am also a bit puzzled by the surface ot the coin. Looks like it has remnants of ancient silvering ?