Indian Epigraphy c9.t11: 6. Bronze, Iron and Other Metals

Indian Epigraphy c9.t11

Language: English

6. Bronze, Iron and Other Metals

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Many bronze images bear inscriptions, in most cases on the pedestal. An inscribed bronze casket was discovered at Manikiala.¹ The early inscription known as the Sohgaura copper plate is really written on a small bronze plaque.² The seals affixed to the copper-plate grants are generally made of bronze. They often bear a legend along with the royal emblems and were cast in moulds and later affixed to the plates on the copper rings on which the plates were strung or on the plates themselves when the charters were incised on single plates.

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¹ CII, Vol. II, Part i, p. 150.

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² JAS, Letters, Vol. XVIII, pp. 1 ff. The plate, which was not fashioned by hammering as in the case of most copper plates, was cast in a mould of sand. The letters and emblems were previously scratched into the mould with a pointed instrument. They therefore appear on the plate in relievo.

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Canons of the late medieval period often bear inscriptions.³ The Mehrauli (near Delhi) iron pillar bears an inscription⁴ of king Candra who is probably identical with Candragupta II (376-413 A.D.) of the Imperial Gupta dynasty of Magadha. A huge iron trident in the Acaleśvara temple on Mount Abu bears an inscription⁵ of Vikrama 1468, Phālguna-sudi 15.

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³ Cf. Bhandarkar's List, Nos. 1141-43, 1148-49, 1152-53, etc.

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⁴ Select Inscriptions, pp. 275 ff.

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⁵ Cf. Ojha, op. cit., p. 154.

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The bells in many temples bear inscriptions recording their gift in favour of the temples in question.⁶ The practice of incising the owner's name on bell-metal utensil is well known, although it cannot be regarded as a popular material for engraving.⁷

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⁶ There are incribed bells, e.g., in the Bodhagaya and Tripurā-sundari (Udaypur, Tripura State) shrines.

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⁷ Amongst other rare metals used for writing, mention may be made of tin and lead. A Buddhist manuscript on tin sheets is preserved in the British Museum (Bühler, op. cit., p. 96) while lead coins sometimes bearing legends were issued by the kings such as those of the Śātavāhana dynasty.

Linked texts (1)

Sohgaura copper plate (ed. Bühler 1896) — Prakrit