Indian Epigraphy c11.t9.62

c11.t9.62

Large numbers of seals (of clay and other materials) of kings, royal officials and private individuals as well as administrative, mercantile and religious organizations have been discovered in different parts of North India.⁵ Hundreds of seals and sealings have been found at places like Basarh,⁶ Kasia,⁷ Sahet-Mahet,⁸ Bhita,⁹ Nalanda,¹⁰ Rajghat¹¹ and Kausambi,¹² not to mention innumerable minor hoards. Some of these belonged to rulers, royal officials, members of the royal household and other dignitaries. But a large number of them contain the names of private persons, deities, temples, monasteries, guilds, etc. They throw welcome light on many topics. Indeed, the most important epigraphical discovery of the present century in India is that of the prehistoric seals at Harappa, Mohenjodaro, etc., which have pushed back the history of Indian civilization to the 3rd millennium B. C.¹ The writing on the seals is usually positive, although we have many sealings with legends in negative writing as well, the latter being apparently used for sealing documents or for the preparation of seals.²