Indo -Portuguese coins found in Sattari

The earthen pot containing almost 832 Indo-Portuguese coins were found in the cashew plantation ofNanoda in Sattari, just 1 km away from the Kalasa nalla that eventually joins the Mhadei at Dusgir in Nanoda.

Vishnu Shridhar Joshi, 66 years of age alongwith the workers, while clearing the exotic weeds inside the Cashew plantation, suddenly came across, the earthen pot full with the Indo-Portuguese coins, belonging the first half of the sixteenth century.

Though the Portuguese conquered Sattari taluka in 1746 first, they took possession of it in 1782 amidst the revolt of Rane. These all copper coins, belonging to the early period of their rule and are helpful in throwing the socio-cultural and economic aspects of history of the Mhadei region.

As the area is situated on the Ghat pathway connecting British India with Portuguese India, these find of copper coins will help in unearthing the history of the Mhadei region. Just few kms away one of the biggest Hero stone depicting horses, elephants and camel and royal personnels have been discovered at Kadtari in Sonal village, locally known as the Bonelkarache Pashan. During the olden time,the travellers,traders were using the pathways going through the forest, connected to the Ghat ways.

After a major military defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by the combined armies of Deccan Sultanates,the rule lasted until 1646.Goa was under the rule of the Vijayanagara kingdom and the Bahamani Sultanates.However,when the Portuguese took over the possession of the Old Conquests , Goa continued trading relationship with the Vijayanagara and the hoard of coins that was found in Nanoda might be taken from the Old Conquests through the Ghat way to the neighbouring Kingdom by merchants. The place where the hoard of coins were found in Haddiche Bharad area of Nanoda, lies on the slope of the hillock adjacent to the Western Ghat of Sattari.

The place, where the hoard of 832 copper coins were found, lies on the trijunction of the Chorla ghat, Kel ghat and Chand Surya ghat connecting to different princely states.

Portuguese were the first among the Europeans to get footage in India. They took advantage of the internal rivalry existed among the local rulers over trade and this helped them to slowly establish forts and colonies in different parts of India. Their tactical approach paved way for them to get substantial leap in trade and commerce, making them economically powerful to start minting coins. Minting coins was not only a fiscal necessity of their government, but also a Fatah-namah-a declaration of their success in establishing the supremacy for smooth trade. Coins were minted in gold, silver, copper, tin and tutenag throughout the Portuguese territories. Minting coins continued till the Anglo-Portuguese treaty signed in AD 1880. This treaty made the Portuguese coins in India obsolete and the English Rupee and Anna system came into existence as the only legal tender.[1]

The hoard that was handed over to Goa government as per primary observation has revealed that the majority of the coins are Indo- Portuguese belonging to the sixteenth century. Immediately after exercising sway over the territories of the Old Conquests, consisting of Tiswadi,Bardez and Salcete( including Marmagoa),for encouraging trade,commerce ,the Portuguese government first introduced from 1509 to 1580,the Pardau coin .After it ,they introduced the Bazaruco copper coins,bearing the initial of Joao III,that were minted in Goa and Ceilao mints from 1522 to 1557. Bazaruco copper coins were released during the rule of Sebastiao I from 1557 to 1578,that were minted in Goa mint.[2]


Reference:

1. Indo-Portuguese Coins: A Preliminary Review by Preeta Nayar (University of Kerala) 2017

2. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/inde_portugaise-1.html#c_inde_portugaise2167