| Comments | The "Kanthirava" fanam of Kanthirava Narasa is one of the few Indian coins whose image can be directly related to a known piece of sculpture ... in this case, the famous statue of Narasimha at the Vijayanagar capital of Hampi (see photo below).
This coin is an example of the intermediate style, with quite a realistic face, where the dots representing the face are not in vertical lines but flared towards the bottom to reflect the shape of Narasimha's face in the Hampi statue. Note also the strap around the knees, as on the Hampi statue, used by yogis to hold their meditation posture. The coin is a SUPERB specimen, with a very recognizable partial legend (the full legend never appears on these coins as it is too long for the tiny flan; in particular, the word sri seen on this coin is hardly ever seen). |