An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c10.s5.2

v1.c10.s5.2

That this source has proved to be of utmost importance at many historical and archaeological sites may be evident from a few examples given below. Thus the inscriptions found at NAGARJUNAKONDA not only form the sole source in resurrecting the dynastic history of the Ikṣvākus of Vijayapurī but help in dating most of the exposed structural units, both religious and secular, and associated antiquities exposed in the excavations. The period of the rule of this dynasty has been settled on the basis of the palaeography of the epigraphs, as the regnal years of these Ikṣvāku kings are not recorded in any era. These epigraphs are mostly on *āyaka* pillars, *maṇḍapa* pillars and memorial pillars (*chāyā-stambha*). Apart from dating the excavated material vestiges, epigraphy has helped in tracing the beginning, efflorescence and decline of the Nagarjunakonda phase of the art of the Krishna valley.