Epigraphy as a Source for the Social, Economic and Cultural History of India 5.1 Do you know? Description Image Source Source: Copper Plate inscriptions Willis, offer a lot of information Michel on social, economic, https://zenod cultural and o.org/record/ environmental history.) 804258#.Wd rQtI-CzIV Seal of the copper-plate Charter of Mahendrapāla, Jagjivanpur, West Bengal (Willis 2017) Source: The Patlinga Copper http://magaz Plate Grant Inscription of ines.odisha.g Dandi Mahadevi is a ov.in/Orissar copper plate from Orissa eview/june2 (Girish 2006). 006/engpdf/ 141-143.pdf Source: http://www.t hehindu.com /todays- paper/tp- national/tp- An inscription of Alupa karnataka/C Dynasty opper-plate- inscription- throws-new- light-on- Alupas/articl e16478476.e ce Source: http://www.t hehindu.com /todays- A copper plate paper/copper inscription on the history -plate- of the Gandikota fort, inscription- dating back to the 16th older-than- Century written in mackenzie- Telugu script kaifiyat- found/article 18720214.ec e Source: https://karna An inscription of Battle takaitihasaac Scenes and warriors. The ademy.org/k warriors were given lands arnataka- for their role in epigraphy/ty expeditions. Their socio- pes-of- economic status changed inscriptions/ with their involvement in hero- cultivation. stones/begur -inscription- 2/ An inscription from Dholka. It is in Sanskrit language and Nagari script. Dated in Vikrama 1466 (1410 CE) it was Courtesy: issued during the reign of http://asi.nic. Muzaffar Shah of in/asi_epigra Ahmedabad. It mentions phical_sans_ about the construction of gujarat.asp a well by Sahadeva Prabhu and his wife Sadhu for the merit of their deceased son Asachandra. 5.2 Timeline Timelines Image Description 1929 A work on the inscriptions of Bengal. 1967 Brief text of Asokan. 2009 Presents an account of the inscriptions of Vijayanagara inscriptions. A work on the copper 2014 plates of Orissa. 5.3 Glossary Staring Related Term Definition Character Term A Anarta Refers to the present-day North Saurashtra to North Gujarat region in Gujarat state of India. It occurs in the puranic accounts as well as in the Junagarh rock inscription of the Saka ruler Rudradaman A Agraharam A settlement quarters of the Brahmins A Annaels school A new school of thought that emerged in France and it argued for the social history rather than the political history. It published a journal called annals which eventually became the label for the school of thought A Ayyavole, A Azhakku A traditional unit of volume measure. B Bhukti It is and administrative division of the Gupta times. B Banavase 12000 An administrative division called Banavase 12000 occurs in the inscription of Karnataka B Belvola 3000 An administrative division called Belvola 3000 occurs in Karnataka inscriptions B Brahmadeya Lands donated to the Brahmins by the kings. These donations were recorded in the copper plates, called Tamrasasana C Caranas A division or group or category in the traditional Brahmin population classification C Chaturvetimangalam Names given to Brahmin settlements. Settlement of the Brahmins qualified in four Vedas. D Dhamma Dhamma refers to the message of Buddha. In Sanskrit it is called Dharma, and this term has many meanings according to the context of usage. G Gahapati A family patriarch, often rich. G gotra Clan. A division or group or category in the traditional Brahmin population classification G Gupta era The era starting in 318-19 CE I Izhavas Toddy tappers of the Medieval South India K Kalabhra Reference to Kalabhra occurs in the copper plate inscription of Velvikkudi issued by the Pandiyan kings K Kali era Kali era which started in 3101 BCE K Kalinga rashtra It refers to the region of Kalinga or Orissa K Kavya A meter used in the composition of literary texts and it was used in the composition of Prasasti K Keloputra or It refers to the Cheras who ruled from Kerala. Keralaputra Cheraman Cherta+Putra=makan in Tamil. M Mahabaladhikrta Commander in Chief. Persons with these titles were also appointed as ministers. M Mahadandanayaka General M Mahapratihara Chief of the palace guards M Mangalam A settlement name of Brahmin quarters. M Manigramam An Association of merchants. Perhaps of West Asian origin. M Manraaduvar Judges M Marakkal A unit measure and its size varied from place to palace. 4 padi = 1 marakkal. M Manuscriptology The study of texts in the palm leaf manuscripts. M Madhyasta An official under the Chola administration M Meikirthi The opening portion of Chola inscriptions. Same as prasasti M Mukavetti An official under the Chola administration N Naadu An administrative division of Tamil Naadu used by the Pallavas, Cholas and Pandiyas N Nanadesis A supra-local merchant association Tisaiyayirattu Anirruvar N nallur A settlement name of Brahmin quarters. N Nazhi An unit of traditional volume measure P Palam A traditional weight measure. P Paraichcheris A settlement quarters of Paraiyars P Pathinenvisayattar A merchant guild. Perhaps same as the A supra-local merchant association P Political Economy The relations between political structure and systems and the economic realms of production, consumption and exchange P Prasasti The opening portion of inscriptions which speaks about the lineage and achievements of the kings P Pradesikas District heads P Pundravardana The country of Pundras. It was the capital of Gauda region of Bengal. The area around Mahasthangarh R Rajjukas Rural/judicial officers R Renadu 7000, Renandu 7000 ’ refers tp parts of Cuddapah, Kurnool and Nellore Districts. S Sabha The administrative body of the Brahmin villages S Saka Era The era that began in 78 CE S Samanta The local chiefs, who paid tributes S Samatata. The eastern part of Bengal S Samvat The Calendar year of India S Senapathi An official under the Chola administration S Sakhas A division or group or category in the traditional Brahmin population classification S Sravanaipuhuvar Hearers of Justice S Satiyaputra It refers to the chiefs of Athiyaman. Satiya+putra= Athiya+maan S Sethi A merchant S Silasasanas Stone Inscriptions S Srenis An association of merchants and artisans T Tadigaipadi A region of Karnataka T Tambapanni Sri Lanka T Tamrasasanas Copper Plate inscriptions T Tiruvaikelvi An official under the Chola administration T Tirumandira olai An official under the Chola administration nayakam T Tondaimandalam Refers to the Northern part of Tamil Nadu U Urirukkai A settlement location within a village. U Uzhakku A traditional unit of volume measure. V Vamsavali Genealogy of the kings of a dynasty V Vellanvagai Villages on non-Brahmin farming communities. V Vikrama Era The era that began in 58 BCE V Vishaya An Administrative Division Minor Bhuktis Mandalas denoted the same division V Vindhyavati Refers to the Kheonjhar district Y Yavana Refers to Westerners of the Romans, Greeks and others from the West Y Yuktas Subordinate officers 5.4. Weblinks Web links http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_sans_about.asp http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_arabicpersian.asp http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_sans_nature.asp http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_sans_antiquity.asp http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_sans_language.asp http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_sans_epigraphists.asp http://asi.nic.in/asi_epigraphical_sans_preservation.asp http://vle.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=12969&chapterid=27944 http://mrunal.org/2013/10/oldncert-ancient-india-sources-of-history-paleography-epigraphy- numismatics-archeology.html#727 http://mrunal.org/2013/10/oldncert-ancient-india-sources-of-history-paleography-epigraphy- numismatics-archeology.html#744 https://www.webindia123.com/history/source.htm http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/26707/6/06_chapter%201.pdf http://www.tnarch.gov.in/epi.htm https://www.britannica.com/topic/epigraphy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--oD52Es6DE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98YKeQIHSw4 http://ichr.ac.in/Epigraphy_Report.pdf http://mentorials.com/high-school-history-reconstructing-the-past-indian-archaeological- sources.htm http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/Indian%20Epigraphy_A%20Guide%20to%20th e%20Study%20of%20Inscriptions%20in%20Sanskrit%20Prakrit%20and%20Other%20Indo- Aryan%20Languages_Salomon.pdf https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-48974-2_14 https://www.britannica.com/topic/epigraphy/Inscriptions-as-social-and-cultural-records https://books.google.co.in/books?id=pySCGvdyYLIC&pg=PA566&lpg=PA566&dq=epigrap hy+as+a+source+of+cultural+history&source=bl&ots=2tEtYSlb8i&sig=3Ns89oV8qxbTaGS icI4Yc3zcnKc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi75czznc7WAhVMKo8KHT7lAIw4FBDoAQ gmMAA#v=onepage&q=epigraphy%20as%20a%20source%20of%20cultural%20history&f= false http://www.jstor.org/stable/44143470 http://odishamuseum.nic.in/?q=dept/epigraphy http://tsdam.com/epigraphy.html http://www.tnarch.gov.in/epi/kan.htm https://karnatakaitihasaacademy.org/karnataka-epigraphy/ https://karnatakaitihasaacademy.org/karnataka-epigraphy/inscriptions/ https://karnatakaitihasaacademy.org/karnataka-history/evolution-of-kannada-script/ http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2013/stories/20030704000207100.htm https://www.jstor.org/stable/42936611 http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/137381/10/10_chapter%202.pdf http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/137381/10/10_chapter%202.pdf https://books.google.co.in/books?id=ud_zjw5OLOEC&pg=PP9&lpg=PP9&dq=Epigraphy+I ndian+as+a+source+for+cultural+studies&source=bl&ots=8uRI5SIhf4&sig=6iGgGCcNrocl EJ2h9f6f4at8sx0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwip6_Oyqc7WAhWLQY8KHSK2ChY4ChD oAQhBMAU#v=onepage&q=Epigraphy%20Indian%20as%20a%20source%20for%20cultur