Inscriptions of Archaeological Sources

Inscriptions of Archaeological Sources

Inscriptions are the most important sources among Archaeological Sources.

Inscriptions are divided into two groups – Foreign and Indigenous.

1. Foreign Inscriptions

Boghatkoi Inscription (1380 BC)

• The Boghazkoi Inscription (Asia Minor, Turkey) was discovered in 1906 AD by German archaeologist Hugo Winckler.

• This inscription was found in the form of Clay Tablets from Boghazköi, the capital of the ancient Hittite Empire.

• This inscription contains the description of an accord between Hittari & Mittani states and mentions four Vediceities – Indra, Mitra, Varun & Nasatya (i.e., Ashwini Kumar) – as guard-deities of the accord.

• These gods are also mentioned in the Rig Veda. Thus Boghazkoi Inscription proved that Asia Minor was the original homeland of the Aryans.

In other words, it confirms the Central Asian Theory. It indicates the transition of Aryans from Central Asia to India via Iran.

Behistun Inscription (520–518 BC) & Naqsh-i-Rustam Inscription (515 BC)

• These two inscriptions are concerned with the reign of the Persian/Iranian emperor Darius I.

• These are found from Behustun & Naqsh-i-Rustam.

• According to the Behistun Inscription, Darius I annexed the "Gadar" (i.e., Gandhar) and the "Shatagu" (i.e, Saptsindhu), and after annexation, he constituted this area the 20th Strapi (i.e., province) of his empire.

• This province was so fertile that from this province the empire received 360 talents of gold dust as revenue (according to Herodotus).

• According to the Naqsh-i-Rustam Inscription, Persian emperor Darius I possessed the Hindu (i.e., Sin,dhu) valley.

Language and Script

• Iranian inscriptions are written in the Persian language and Cuneiform script.

• Before 1837 AD, Iranian inscriptions were deciphered by Henry Rawlinson (an officer of the British East India Company and deputed in Afghanistan) and others.

It is notable that among Foreign Inscriptions of India, the earliest deciphered inscriptions are Iranian Inscriptions – that is, Behistun & Naqsh-i-Rustam Inscriptions.

Of course, among Indigenous Inscriptions, the earliest deciphered inscriptions are the Ashokan Inscriptions.

2. Indigenous Inscriptions

Some scholars believe that the tradition of Inscription-inscribing (encarving) in India had begun before the coming of the Mauryan King Ashoka. They present two inscriptions as proof of their belief:

1. Piparahawa Buddhist Urn/Pot Inscription (Siddharthanagar district, Uttar Pradesh, 5th–4th Century BC).

2. Barli Inscription (Ajmer district, Rajasthan).

While some other scholars think that the Inscription-inscribing in India began with the Mauryan king Ashoka.

Whatever the matter may be, it is fairly certain that the golden period of the tradition of inscription-inscribing in India had begun with the period of the Mauryan king Ashoka.

Among Indigenous Inscriptions of India, the first deciphered inscriptions are Ashokan inscriptions, which were deciphered in 1837 by James Princep, a civil servant in the employ of the East India Company in Bengal.

Final Thoughts

Inscriptions are the most significant archaeological sources for understanding ancient history.

Foreign inscriptions like the Boghazkoi and Behistun provide evidence of early cultural connections and support theories about the Aryan migration.

Indigenous inscriptions, especially those from the Mauryan period, mark the golden age of inscriptional tradition in India.

The deciphering of Ashokan inscriptions laid the foundation for the systematic study of India's early historical records, making inscriptions an essential tool in reconstructing the subcontinent's past.

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