| Publication |
2014.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The famous Nicolo seal with a four-armed deity, having in his four hands a wheel, a mace, a ring like object and a globular thing, with a devotee standing by his side in respectful pose with folded hands, was
described by Cunningham in the Numismatic Chronicle as Vishnu, the deity and King Huvishka, the attending devotee. The Kushana identity of Huvishka was identified because of the affinities of headdress and garment.1 Right interpretation of the seal, however, was possible only after correct decipherment of the inscription by R. Ghirsman.2 The inscription, according to him, was in Tokharian script and in Tokharian language; it contained the names of Mihir (the Sun God), Vishnu and Shiva. But the devotee, according to him, was some unknown Hapthalite Chief, rather than the Kushana King Huvishka. Any way, irrespective of the identity of the devotee, the use of Tokharian script and language made it clear that composite cult of Shiva (Siva), Vishnu (Visnu) and Mitra was popular in Central Asia.
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