Indian Epigraphy c10.s3.5

c10.s3.5

In line 31 of the Kalsī inscription (Rock Edict XII) of Aśoka, the passage *ti apaśalahā vā*, wrongly written originally, is struck out by cancellation strokes and the correction *pala-pāsaṃḍa-galahā va* is incised above the line.⁶ On copper plates, such passages are generally rubbed off by chiselling or beaten in by hammering and the correction re-engraved on the erasure.⁷ But a letter or a group of them, when detected to have been wrongly engraved, was sometimes altered to other letters without erasing the former.⁸ Old and invalid copper-plate records coming into the possession of the Government were no doubt melted in order to fashion new plates for fresh use.