Archaeologists have unveiled a remarkable trove of exceptionally rare copper coins dating back more than two millennia, unearthed in the ruins of a Buddhist temple in Pakistan. The discovery was reported by Live Science.
The hoard comprises between 1000 and 1500 copper pieces that have darkened to a green patina from long oxidation, collectively weighing about 5.5 kilograms. Researchers place the coins in the Kushan era, a period when the kingdom ruled the region roughly from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Kushan culture emerged through a blend of Greek and Indian influences, reflected in the coin imagery and inscriptions.
The coins were found within the remains of a Buddhist temple constructed around 150 CE on the site of the ancient city Mohenjo-Daro, a metropolis that by then had already stood for many centuries and would later fade from prominence.
A figure appears on some of the coins, seemingly a ruler on one side and a Hindu deity on the reverse. Researchers note that many Kushan coins feature kings paired with Hindu gods, a reflection of the syncretic spiritual landscape of the era where Buddhism and Hinduism shared cultural ground.
The temple appears to have been abandoned around 500 CE, potentially due to seismic events or shifting religious currents that diminished Buddhist influence in the region. By that time, the Kushan Empire had fractured into smaller, independent kingdoms, altering the political and cultural map of northern South Asia.
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