The book, as the title goes, Gupta Numismatic Art - An Artistic and Iconographic Study, presents an interesting and comprehensive overview of the aesthetic peculiarities of the Gupta period coins, on the one hand, and the figurative study of the divine and human forms stamped, on the other. Besides the political situation, the author has also considered the socio-religious background, economic factors and technical aspects, while discussing the Gupta currency is sued in different types. The book is a notable contribution and would be profitable for scholars and researchers, as well as the admirers of the Gupta period glory, which is well reflected in the superb collection of art and gold coins.

Dr. CHHANDA MUKHERJEE (b. 1954) is an upcoming and promising scholar in the field of Indology. A Post-Graduate and Ph.D. from the University of Calcutta, she is at present serving as a Curator in the Archaeological section of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. She has made the best use of the opportunity provided to her, of easy accessibility to the earliest and richest archaeological and numismatic collection of the country and penned several papers in Numismatics and Archaeology.

The present work is a revised version of my dissertation admitted by the University of Calcutta for a Ph.D degree. An effort has been made here for a comprehensive study of the gold, silver, copper, brass and lead coins of the Imperial Gupta rulers from an artistic and iconographic point of view. In the process some unavoidable repetition has crept in for which I can only crave the indulgence of the readers.

I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude and indebted ness to Professor A.N. Lahiri, my teacher-supervisor for his constant guidance and valuable suggestions. I am also grateful to Professor A. Chakravarti, Professor B.N. Mukherjee and Dr. R.C. Sharma for their valuable suggestions from time to time. Thanks are also due to Dr. S.P. Basu, Dr. (Mrs.) Bela Lahiri and Dr. (Mrs.) Chitrarekha Gupta, Mrs. D. Mukherjee and Sri T.N. Roy Chowdhury.

In the course of preparation of the present work I worked in different libraries and museums of India. Among the libraries, I would like to make particular mention of the National Library, Calcutta, the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, the Indian Museum, Calcutta and the Library of the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture of the University of Calcutta. As for the Museums, I would like to mention the Indian Museum, Calcutta, Mathura State Museum, Mathura and the National Museum, New Delhi. I sincerely thank the authorities of all the Libraries and Museums for extending all facilities conducive to my research.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. R.C. Sharma, Director of the Indian Museum, Calcutta for his graciousness in consenting to write the Foreword.

The coinage of the Guptas occupies an immensely important place in the domain of Indian numismatics. It furnishes us with a great deal of information, by which we may come to some vitally important conclusions about the political, economic and cultural condition of the period. Through these coins we also get a good glimpse into the personal traits of the various Gupta monarchs.

The legends as well as the devices on some types of Gupta coins enrich our knowledge about the political condition of the period. The legend Lichchhavayah on the Chandragupta-Kumaradevi¹ type and also the marriage scene as depicted on the obverse of this type make us believe that there took place an important matrimonial relation between the Gupta prince Chandragupta I and the Lichchhavis who ruled in North Bihar (Mithila). In all likelihood the underlying motive of this social contact was to facilitate the path of political friendship. The Lichchhavis were the most powerful among the chiefs of Eastern India who ruled in the first half of the fourth century A.D.

The standard type coins introduced by Samudragupta and continued by his successors perhaps represent the pre-eminent position and status of Gupta sovereignty. On the obverse of the concerned type the monarch is seen as standing with a Garuda-surmounted danda which is obviously considered to be the 'royal standard.'