PAKISTAN NORTHWEST FRONTIER HEPHTHALITE-SHAHI kohl applicator (salai) circa 400-1000 AD?
$25.00
PAKISTAN, NORTHWEST FRONTIER, HEPHTHALITE-SHAHI?, kohl applicator (salai), circa 400-1000 AD?, head is like a trident, lateral tines are like crescent moons, central tine is elongated with a round knob on the end, bronze, 24x70mm, 7.6g, about 1/3 of shaft missing, VF
1 in stock
Description
Apparently everyone who could afford to use kohl did. You used it as eyeliner. It was supposed to catch dust, so there was a practical aspect in addition to the cosmetic effect.
The Hephthalites were the eastern component of the people who, in Europe, were called “Huns.” They are sometimes referred to as “White Huns.” Some of the Hephthalite coins of Afghanistan-Pakistan region have the word “HONO” on them. On the other hand, there is a faction amongst the historians who claim that we really have no idea who any of those people were, let alone if they were related to each other. There seems to be a general feeling that the Huns, or the Hephthalites, or the people the Chinese called Xiong Nu, and other scholars called “Chionites,” were more Iranic than Turkic. Their art often displays mean-looking male human faces with moustaches, and tends toward slapdashery in execution. Apparently what they did best was what they were known for: war and pillage.
Over the decades I’ve been selling collectibles my market has been about 97% coins, 2% paper money, 1% everything else.
