Symbols of Trade: Roman and Pseudo-Roman Objects Found in India

Roman objects such as coins, ceramics, metal and glass artefacts have been discovered in different parts of the Indian subcontinent. These objects were brought to this land by ancient traders, sailors and travellers. Often, ancient Indians produced coins and other objects closely resembling these foreign objects. Many of these objects have either been lost or destroyed. Those that have survived are scattered in various museums and private collections in South Asia and Europe. This study provides the first-ever systematic, comprehensive and integrated collation of all these objects. Combining theoretical insights with empirical data, it investigates the reasons for the uneven distribution pattern and complex chronology of the varied types of objects in the different regions of the subcontinent. It also includes an insightful analysis of the peculiar features such as slash marks and countermarks seen on some of the Roman coins found in India. The epilogue sets these objects in the wider context of the early commerce between China, South-East Asia, Sri Lanka, India, Africa and Rome. Written in an attractive narrative style, this volume will be of immense value not only to serious scholars but also to all those interested in ancient Roman and Indian archaeology, numismatics and economic history.