A largest hoard of ancient Kashmir copper coins of 11th and 12th AD has been recovered from Budgam District.An expert team of the State Archaeology Department (SAD) under the supervision of the Director Archives, Archaeology and Museum Jammu and Kashmir state recovered a largest hoard of ancient copper coins from a plateau of village Nonar in Khan Sahab area of the District Budgam. The plateau apparently rich in archaeological nature was under consideration of the department for long time. During the trial excavation the coin hoard was exposed and it was recovered. The hoard consisting of more than 800, (eight hundred) coins were later on collected by the team of the state archaeology.Archaeologists of the Archives Archaeology & Museums Department who are investigating the findings, in their preliminary report, has dated the coins to 11th to 12th century AD, when Yassakara and Lohora dynasties ruled over Kashmir. As per a spokesperson of State Archaeology Department (SAD), since these two dynasties ruled this land during 11th and 12th century AD as such the coins so discovered belonged to them.He said the discovered coins have gathered dust and rust and as such are being given chemical treatment in the conservation Lab of the SPS Museum at Lal Mandi.
After the coins are cleaned and provided the necessary chemical treatment, these would only then properly identified and deciphered by the departmental expert Mr. Peer Mohammad Iqbal and research work on these coins will be shared with the heritage lovers and archaeologist of the state, it will certainly help us in filling up of the gapes in the numismatic collection of our museums” he said.However, he said this kind of numismatic discovery from the Budgam district is very rare as it is first time when the department has recovered such largest coin hoard from this area.It is in place to mention here that earlier sultanate period coins were also recovered from Chrar-e-Sharief area of Budgam, while department recovered a huge hoard of more than 2000, ancient coins from Watnar village of District Anantnag.The department under the supervision of Dr. M.S. Zahid Director, Archives, Archaeology & Museums J&K has made 11 discoveries in last 13 years out of which 4 such discoveries pertains to numismatic field. These discoveries in the department helped to fill the gaps in Archaeological field viz a viz numismatics, Sculpture, Art and Archaeological sites of the state’s glorious past. All the finds are well preserved in the SPS Museum at Lal Mandi Srinagar. This museum houses the largest collection of ancient coins in copper, silver and gold, estimating more than 70,000.