Coins In Lucknow Mus. Vol 01 [56 MB - IndianCoins.org

SUPPLEMENT.NOTE BY MARSDEN ON THE ABJED AND ABTAS." Numismata Orientalia,"1825, Ft. H. pp. 701-7." Many eastern nations, as well as the Greeks and Romans, have beenin the practice of expressing numbers, and dates in particular, by meansof the letters of the alphabet, to each of which a certain value is assigned.These may be either employed simply like other ciphers, or, being distributedamong the words of a sentence, may constitute what is termed achronogram. It must at the same time be noticed, that in forming theirthe Arabians did not adhere to the direct order of the letters insystemtheir own alphabet (such at least as it now exists), but followed that of theHebrews, from which they acquired much of their learning, calling\ 1, s-> 2,S 3, J 4, &c., and from thence names the scheme ^?\ abjd, or, as pronouncedabjed.With this antiquated system of notation the Sultan was dissatisfied,and he determined upon making it conform to the modern Arabic alphabet.Accordingly, in his scheme, \ is 1, s-> 2, ^> 3, < 4, &c., and instead of .x^abjd it is consistently named cux>\ abts or abtas. In the following table, thenumerical powers of the letters of both alphabets are expressed, and theirapplication to the coinage will be hereafter shown :The *^ abjed or usual mode of alphabetical numeration.U"