Medieval India Hindu Shahi Dynasty of Ohind – Samanta Deva Billon AR Jital Coin

Medieval India – Hindu Shahi Dynasty of Ohind, Samanta Deva, c. 850–1000 CE, Denomination: AR Jital, Composition: Billon, Weight: 3.23 grm, Diameter: 14.88 mm, Reference: Tye 15.1, about very fine, scarce.

Obverse: Horseman advancing right, holding a spear, with an additional Śarada/Nāgarī character placed to the right. A secondary Śarada letter (often read as Bhi) appears to the left of the rider.

Reverse: Recumbent humped bull seated left, with Śarada legend “Śrī Samanta Deva” above.

The Samanta Deva jitals belong to the later phase of the Hindu Shahi Empire, when the dynasty controlled the eastern Kabul–Gandhara region. Struck mainly around Ohind, a key Shahi stronghold on the Indus River, these coins reflect a period of shifting power as the Shahis gradually retreated eastward following early Muslim military pressure in western Afghanistan and Punjab. The title “Samanta Deva,” meaning Honorable Chief Commander, likely referred to a high-ranking military official rather than a specific ruler, showing the dynasty’s administrative hierarchy. The bull-and-horseman design symbolizes stability and martial authority, while the Śarada inscriptions point to the cultural and script traditions of Gandhara. These jitals became the most iconic issues of the late Shahi era.