Item number: A135

Year: AD 800-950

Material: Gold

Size: 7.0 x 7.0 x 6.0 mm

Weight: 2.45 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This specimen is a 1 massa gold coin issued by the Kingdom of Sailendra dynasty in Java, Indonesia.

The obverse of this gold coin features Sanskrit inscriptions, while the reverse depicts the image of a lingam.

Lingam is a symbol within Hinduism representing divine creative power and cosmic energy, typically regarded as a representation of the principal deity, Shiva. Lingam is commonly depicted as a cylindrical object, symbolizing the infinity and immutability of the universe. In Hindu temples, Lingam is often placed on a circular pedestal, symbolizing the origin and cyclical nature of the cosmos.

Phallus worship, within Hinduism, constitutes a widespread form of veneration, regarded as an expression of reverence and homage to the deity Shiva. Devotees engage in rituals and offerings to the Lingam to seek divine power, protection, and blessings.

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.

Piloncito Coins:
There is a debate within the academic community regarding the definition of “Piloncito” despite the similarity of this type of coin to those unearthed in the Philippines. Some scholars argue from a broad perspective, asserting that the type and era of these coins align with the description of Piloncito. Conversely, another faction of scholars adopts a narrow definition, stipulating that only coins unearthed in the Philippines and bearing specific characters qualify as Piloncito. 

物件編號: A135

年代: 公元 800-950 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 7.0 x 7.0 x 6.0 mm

重量: 2.45 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，1馬薩的金幣。

這枚金幣正面刻有梵文文字，背面則刻有林迦的圖像。

林伽是印度教中一種代表神聖創造力和宇宙能量的象徵，通常被視為主神濕婆（Shiva）的象徵。林伽通常被描繪為一根柱狀物，象徵著宇宙的無限性和不變性。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。陽具崇拜在印度教中是一種廣泛的崇拜形式，被認為是對濕婆神的敬畏和尊崇的一種表現。信徒會進行對林伽的祭拜和供奉，以尋求神聖的力量、保護和祝福。

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。

皮隆西托硬幣:
這類硬幣跟菲律賓出土的「皮隆西托硬幣」相似，但如何定義皮隆西托在學界仍有爭議。有些學者從廣義上主張，這種硬幣的類型和時代符合皮隆西托的描述。另一派的學者從狹義的定義來判定，認為僅有出土於菲律賓並帶有特殊字符的硬幣，才有稱作皮隆西托的資格。