Numismatic Study Neglected in Northeast

Guwahati, Jan 11 : Numismatic study has become a low priority area in North East India and other parts of the country. Likewise, epigraphic study has also been neglected by the scholars.

These were the observations made by noted archaeologist Prof RD Choudhury, a former Director General of the National Museum in his presidential address at the centenary celebration conference of the Numismatic Society of India, which was held recently at the Banaras Hindu University. Prof Choudhury is also the chairman of the Indian Art History Congress.

Prof Choudhury underlined the need to go for intensive numismatic and epigraphic study, saying, no historian, at least those engaged in the ancient and mediaeval periods, can reconstruct history without the study of numismatics and epigraphy.

He suggested that a wing for numismatic study should be set up by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

He also suggested that the Numismatic Society of India (NSI) should set up its own museum of coins for display and conservation of coins, medals, seals, etc.

He regretted that the conferences of the NSI have become a meeting place of the coin dealers for displaying their coins. The coin dealers parallely organise a coin mela for sale and purchase of coins. This has lowered the status of the deliberations in the NSIconferences, said the archaeologist.