Collection record · Small worlds
Coin of Kushan King Vima Kadphises
The collection record classifies this work as coins. It is dated 100–200s CE. Recorded culture or place: India, Mathura, Kushan period.
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A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Coin of Kushan King Vima Kadphises
- Date
- 100–200s CE
- Culture / origin
- India, Mathura, Kushan period
- Materials and technique
- gold
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 2.2 cm (7/8 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 1999.225
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
This gold coin represents the reigns of the Kushana ruler, Vima Kadphises. The coin bears a portrait of the ruler on the obverse and various deities on the reverse. It is identified by an inscription in Kharosthi, the language used in northwestern India during the Kushan period.
The reverse depicts the figure of Hercules with the skin of the Nemean lion draped over his forearm and the lion's scalp also worn over his head. The Kushans primarily identified with Zoroastrian religious practice, but imagery on their coins and the religious groups they sponsored suggest they were ecumenical--open to supporting a wide range of sects.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · Anonymous Gift · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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