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Epigraphy and Numismatics

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Course Type Course Code No. Of Credits
Foundation Core HRM2AM111 4

Semester and Year Offered: Semester: III

Course Coordinator and Team: Sailendra Kumar Swain

Email of course coordinator: sswain@aud.ac.in

Pre-requisites: None

Brief Description of the Course:

Epigraphy and numismatics are major primary sources of information for the reconstruction of ancient and medieval history. When there are dearth of other sources and there is a vacuum in the chronology, many times, epigraphic and numismatic sources filled that gap, e.g. epigraphic records helped in the reconstruction of Mauryan history and numismatic records that of Indo-Greek and Kushana history. We have more than one lakh epigraphs and much more that numbers of coins and only limited numbers of epigraphs have been deciphered and coins read. Therefore this course is important for the training of the students in the art of decipherment of epigraphs and reading of coins.

Aim of the Course:

The aim of the course is to acquaint and impart working knowledge of ancient scripts especially the Brahmi Script which is the mother of all the Indic scripts. The course will also explore and analyse various theories for the decipherment of the still elusive Indus or Harappan script. Since the course deals with both epigraphy and numismatics, students will also be taught how to study ancient and early medieval coins for the reconstruction of history.  The course will also impart how to utilize the epigraphic and numismatic sources for the reference purposes for higher research. The course also includes practicals in which the techniques of decipherment of a script and reading of a coin will be imparted.

Course Outcomes:

At the end of the Semester, the students will be able to

  1. Gather sound knowledge about the evolution and growth of languages and scripts in India
  2. Read, write and also to some extent decipher the Brahmi script, especially the Mauryan Brahmi.
  3. Study and analyse the ancient and early medieval coins
  4. Develop critical thinking about utilizing the epigraphic and numismatic sources for the reconstruction of ancient and medieval Indian history.

Module 1

Origin and Evolution of Scripts:

This module will deal with salient features of epigraphs; epigraphy as a source of history; attempts at decipherment of Indus script and decipherment of Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts

Module 2

Readings of the Inscriptions:

This module will deal with some select Asokan inscriptions; Hathigumpha, Besnagar and Junagadh inscriptions; some select Gupta inscriptions and some south Indian inscriptions as well.

Module 3

Origin and Antiquity of Coins:

This module will deal with coins as a source of history; origin and antiquity of coins; technique of manufacture of coins; Early Coins like Punch Marked Coins; Local Coins and Tribal coins.

Module 4

Ancient Coins at Pan-Indian Level:

This module will deal with coins of Satavahana period, Western Kshatrapas, Indo-Greeks, Kushanas; Coins of Imperial Guptas; salient features of early medieval coins of north and south India.

Module 5

Practicals

Stampage and Deciphering Inscriptions

Manufacture, Identification and Reading of Coins.

Reading List:

  • Sircar, D.C. Indian Epigraphy, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi, 1966
  • Salomon, Richard, Indian Epigraphy, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998
  • Verma, T.P. Palaeography of Brahmi Script in North India, Siddharth Prakashan, Varanasi, 1971
  • Ramesh, K.V. Indian Epigraphy, Sundeep Prakashan, New Delhi, 1984
  • Gupta, S.P. Origin of Brahmi Script, D.K. Publication, Delhi, 1979
  • Konow, Sten,  Kharoshthi Inscriptions, Vol, II, Part I, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, 1991
  • Rao, S. R. The Decipherment of the Indus Script, Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1982
  • Mahadevan, I. The Indus Script: Texts, Concordance and Tables, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, 1977
  • Hultzsch, E. Inscriptions of Asoka, Vol. 1, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, 1991
  • Sircar, D.C, Inscription of Asoka, Publication Division, New Delhi, 2017
  • Rastogi, Naresh Pradesh, Inscription of Asoka, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series, 1990
  • Barua, B.M. The Hathigumpha Inscriptions of Kharavela, I.H.Q., XIV, pp. 459-85.
  • Heliodorous Pillar Inscription: Archaeological Survey of India Annual Report, 1908-09, pp.126-129
  • Fleet, John, Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta in Inscriptions of the Early Guptas, Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. 3, Government of India, Central Publications Branch, Calcutta,  1888
  • Bhandarkar, D.R. Inscription of the Early Gupta Kings, Vol. III.  Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, 1981
  • Gupta, P.L. Ancient Indian Silver Punchmarked Coins of    the Magadha- Maurya Karshapana Series, Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies, 1985
  • Goyal, S.R. The Coinage of Ancient India,  Kusumanjali Prakash, Jodhpur, 1995
  • Thaplyal, K.K.Coins of Ancient India, Bharat Book Centre, Lucknow, 1998
  • Alterkar, A.S. The coinage of the Gupta Empire, Numismatic society of India, Banaras Hindu University, 1957
  • Chattopadhyaya, Brajadalal : Coins and Currency System in South India, Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi, 1977
  • Gardner, P.  A Catalogue of  the Indian Coins in the British Museum- Coins of the Greek And Scythian King of  Bactria and India, Eastern Book House, Patna, 1989
  • Narasimha Murthy, A. V. Indian Epigraphy, B. R. Publishing, New Delhi, 2015
  • Sharma, A. Indian Epigraphy, Paleography and Chronology, Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, New Delhi, 2010
  • Handa, D.   Indian Numismatics: Its Bearing on History, Culture, Art and Iconography, Aryan Books International, New Delhi, 2022
  • Chakrabortty, S. K. A Study of Ancient Indian Numismatics, Gyan Pod, New Delhi, 2021
  • Semwal, B & Singh, B. Ancient Indian Numismatics, Venus Publications, Chennai, 2022.

Assessment Details with Weights:

S. No.

Assessments

Weightage

1.

Assignment-1 (Project Writing)

30%

2.

Assignment-2 (Project Presentation)

20%

3.

Semester End Exam

50%
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