Coin of Kanishka I c. 143 - 150

Editor: This is a gold coin of Kanishka I, from the Harvard Art Museums. The images seem to depict figures with symbolic objects. What can you tell me about these images? Curator: The coin acts as a vessel, carrying cultural memory. Consider how the image of Kanishka presents him as a ruler, adopting both local and foreign religious iconography. What elements on the coin strike you as particularly symbolic? Editor: I notice what looks like solar and lunar symbols. Curator: Precisely. The Kushan Empire synthesized multiple cultural influences, and these symbols reflect cosmological beliefs and the ruler's divine right. What does the continuity of these symbols over centuries suggest about their power? Editor: That symbols can transcend cultural changes, retaining a consistent meaning. Curator: Exactly. And this coin becomes a microcosm of how cultures negotiate and represent power through enduring symbols.