ARCHAEOMETALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF FOUR SILVER COINS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT MINTS OF INDEPENDENT SULTANS OF BENGAL
Keywords:
coins, Sunargawn, Satgawn, Chatgawn, Khalifatabad Bengal, X-Ray Diffraction and EDSAbstract
Four silver coins from four different mints (Sunargawn, Satgawn, Chatgawn and Khalifatabad) of three different independent Bengal sultans from 1334 to 1538 AD have been analyzed by X-Ray Diff raction and EDS. Attempt has been made to understand the pattern of variation in composition of the coins of diff erent periods from different geographical region from east to west within Bengal. The results have been compared with a previously analyzed coin of Ghiyath Al-din Mahmud of Husayin Shahi dynasty. Results of this study show that there is a variation in silver content from 86.70 - 94.39%. Lead, possibly from natural source of silver varied from 0.053 - 0.447%. Aluminum probably intentionally added to the alloy varied from 0.52 - 3.36%. Other elements such as Copper, Gold, Silicon, Iron, Bismuth, Zinc, Germanium, Ruthenium, Barium, and Cesium were also found in the coins.
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