Item number: A2626

Year: AD 800-950

Material: Gold

Size: 16.4 x 10.2 x 6.4 mm

Weight: 9.55 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This specimen is a 4 massa gold coin issued by the Kingdom of Sailendra dynasty in Java, Indonesia.

This gold coin is oval in shape. On its obverse, it features an inscription in Sanskrit script, while the reverse depicts an image of Shiva, one of the three principal deities in Hinduism. Shiva embodies both destruction and transformation, representing not only the end of cycles but also the potential for regeneration. A significant symbol associated with Shiva is the lingam, a representation of his generative power, which is widely revered for its connotation of infinite energy.

Within Hindu temple architecture, the lingam is typically placed upon a circular base called a yoni, together symbolising the origin and cyclical nature of the universe. This pairing reflects the essential philosophical concepts of creation, preservation, and dissolution central to Hindu cosmology.

The Sailendra Kingdom, active during the 8th to 9th centuries CE, emerged as a significant polity covering present-day Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and southern Thailand. Dedicated to the advancement of Buddhism, one of its notable achievements was the construction of the Borobudur, initiated in the early 9th century. Revered as a pinnacle of Buddhist art, the Borobudur also served as an emblem of the kingdom. However, internal strife and external pressures led to a decline in its rule, ultimately bringing an end to its hegemonic status. Despite its relatively brief tenure, the Sailendra Kingdom exerted a profound influence on Southeast Asian culture, religion, and art.

“Massa” and “Rattis” are both ancient Indian units of measurement, particularly used for weighing objects.

Massa: It is a unit of mass or weight, approximately equal to 2.4 kilograms. Its precise equivalent value in modern metric or imperial units may vary depending on historical periods and regional differences. It is typically considered a small unit of weight.

Rattis: A unit of mass commonly used in ancient India, particularly for measuring the weight of gemstones. Initially based on the standard weight of a seed of the jequirity bean, it is approximately equal to 0.12 kilograms. It is smaller than Massa and primarily employed in gemstone measurement. The precise conversion to modern units may vary.

These units were utilized across various contexts, including trade, commerce, and jewellery manufacturing, where precision in weight measurement was crucial. While they may not be commonly used in the modern era of the 21st centuries, their historical significance in Indian culture and commerce remains noteworthy.

物件編號: A2626

年代: 公元 800-950 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 16.4 x 10.2 x 6.4 mm

重量: 9.55 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

此枚為印尼爪哇的夏連特拉王國發行的，4馬薩的金幣。

這枚金幣外觀為橢圓形。正面刻有梵文文字，背面則刻有濕婆的圖案。濕婆是印度教信仰的三大主神之一，寓意著毀滅和象徵，其中濕婆的生殖器林伽又蘊含著無限的力量獲得崇拜。在印度教的寺廟中，林伽通常被置於一個圓形的底座上，以象徵著宇宙的起源和宇宙的循環。

夏連特拉王國是公元8至9世紀的重要王國，領土涵蓋今印尼、馬來西亞、新加坡和泰國南部。該王國致力於佛教發展，其顯著成就之一即為婆羅浮屠（Borobudur），建於公元9世紀初，被譽為佛教藝術的代表作，也是王國象徵之一。然而，內部爭端和外部壓力導致統治衰落，終結了其主導地位。儘管統治時間短暫，但對東南亞文化、宗教和藝術產生深遠影響。

「馬薩Massa」和「拉蒂Rattis」皆為古印度的測量單位，特別用於稱量物體。

馬薩：是質量或重量的單位。它在現代公製或英制單位中的精確等效值可能會根據歷史時期和地區差異而有所不同。通常被視為一個小的重量單位。 

拉蒂：古印度常用的質量單位，特別是用來測量寶石的重量。最初是根據測量相思豆種子的標測重量，約等於0.12克。它比馬薩小，主要用於測量寶石。它到現代單位的精確轉換可能會有所不同。 

這些單位用於各種場合，包括貿易、商業和珠寶製造，其中重量測量的精確度至關重要。雖然它們在公元21世紀的現代可能已不常用，但它們在印度文化和商業中的歷史意義值得注意。