Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and the Other Indo-Aryan Languages c13.s2.t1.5

c13.s2.t1.5

Despite its title, Raj Bali Pandey’s *Indian Palaeography* [PIP] is not strictly speaking a work of paleography but more a general study of epigraphy. It generally reflects a traditionalist point of view, as manifested, for instance, in Pandey’s arguments in favor of an indigenous Indian origin for both Brāhmī and Kharoṣṭhī scripts. The first volume of Vāsudeva Upādhyāya’s *Prācīna Bhāratīya Abhilekha*¹³ discusses Indian inscriptions in general terms and with reference to their importance for the study of Indian history and culture. A series of articles published by D. B. Diskalkar in *JIH* 32–38 constitutes in effect a general introduction to the field; although deficient in some respects, this work has the merit of covering a broader range than the other general works, including surveys of inscriptional materials in all languages (including European and other non-Indic languages) from all periods.¹⁴ The chapter on “South Indian Epigraphy” in T. N. Subramanian’s *South Indian Temple Inscriptions* [SITI] (III.2, 161–251) also gives a useful overview of the subject and is not strictly limited to southern India. V. V. Mirashi’s brief survey of “Epigraphical Research”¹⁵ concentrates on dating systems and eras.