Sumatra Srivijaya Empire

10 Rattis Gold

蘇門答臘 三佛齊帝國

10拉蒂金幣

Item number: A138

Year: 7-14 centuries

Material: gold

Size: 8.2 x 8.2 mm / thick: 1.0~1.8 mm

Weight: 1.2 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This specimen is a 10 rattis gold coin issued by the Srivijaya Empire in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The obverse of this gold coin features Sanskrit inscriptions “मा (Ma)” which is the abbreviation for the unit masa, while the reverse depicts the image of a sandalwood flower.

The Srivijaya Empire was a prosperous maritime trading empire that flourished between the 7th and 13th centuries, located in what is now the territory of Indonesia. The exact origins of this empire can be traced back to Sumatra, although the precise date of its establishment remains uncertain. According to records, Srivijaya had already been established by around AD 670.

Due to its strategic geographical location, the empire controlled the Strait of Malacca, thus enabling it to dominate international maritime trade routes and become a pivotal center for East-West trade. Concurrently, the Srivijaya Empire was a proponent of Mahayana Buddhism, emerging as a religious nucleus within the region. Within this religious milieu, the empire cultivated distinctive Buddhist art characterized by the fusion of diverse cultural elements, showcasing a unique artistic style.

By the 11th century, the Srivijaya Empire had expanded its influence to encompass much of Java Island, establishing itself as the dominant power in the region. However, the empire subsequently faced threats from the Indian Chola Dynasty, leading to a gradual decline in its power. By the end of the 12th century, the Srivijaya Empire had significantly weakened. Ultimately, in the late 14th century, it was annexed by the Majapahit Empire, marking the end of Srivijaya’s sovereignty.

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

Massa: It was a unit of mass or weight, approximately equal to 2.4 kilograms. Its precise equivalent value in modern metric or imperial units might vary depending on historical periods and regional differences. It was 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 was approximately equal to 0.12 kilograms. It is smaller than Massa and primarily employed in gemstone measurement. The precise conversion to modern units might vary.

These units were utilized across various contexts, including trade, commerce, and jewellery manufacturing, where precision in weight measurement was crucial. While they might 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: A138

年代: 公元 7-14 世紀

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 8.2 x 8.2 mm / 高: 1.0~1.8 mm

重量: 1.2 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

此枚為印尼蘇門答臘的三佛齊帝國發行的,十拉蒂的金幣。

這枚金幣正面刻有梵文文字「मा (Ma)」,為貨幣單位馬薩的縮寫。背面則刻有檀香花的圖像。

三佛齊帝國,又稱室利佛逝,是一個曾經繁榮興盛的海上貿易帝國,存在於公元7至13世紀間,位於今日印尼地區。該帝國的起源可以追溯至蘇門答臘島,然其確切建國時間難以確定。據記載,早在公元670年左右,三佛齊帝國已經建立起來。 

這個帝國由於位於地理位置優越,控制了馬六甲海峽,因此得以主導國際海上貿易路線,成為東西方貿易的重要中心。同時,三佛齊帝國也是大乘佛教的信奉者,成為該地區的宗教中心。在這一宗教氛圍下,帝國發展出了獨具特色的佛教藝術,融合了多種文化元素,展現出獨特的藝術風格。 

到了公元11世紀左右,三佛齊帝國擴張至爪哇島的大部分地區,成為該地的統治者。然而,帝國後來面臨來自印度朱羅王朝的威脅,這使得其勢力逐漸衰退。到了公元12世紀末期,三佛齊帝國的勢力已經大幅衰弱。最終於公元14世紀末遭到滿者伯夷帝國併吞。 

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。

類似/相同物件 請看:

美國 大都會藝術博物館 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/50074

美國 耶魯大學美術館 Yale University Art Gallery

https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/123705

更多相關訊息請參考:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Srivijaya-empire

https://www.britannica.com/plant/jequirity-bean

https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/masha

池魯,〈室利佛逝古國初探〉,《史學期刊》,(1982), 頁68-72

桂光華,〈室利佛逝王國興衰試析〉,《南洋問題研究》, (1992), 頁55-62

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