An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c25.s4.t1.5

v1.c25.s4.t1.5

The area of regular use of the Kharoṣṭhī was the n.-w. region. It extended from about 69° to 73° 30′ long. and from the Hindu Kush to about 33° lat. Its e. most limit is Manikiala in Panjab, but inscriptions are reported from Kangra and Karnal as well. The Śaka Kṣatrapas took it to Mathurā and Gujarat. A solitary record from Patna was evidently carried from n.-w. Leaving aside coins from Seistan and Kandahar, the w.most Kharoṣṭhī inscriptions are from Khawat (Afghanistan) and Thal valley (Baluchistan), and the n.most are from Tirath (Swat) and Khalatse (Ladakh). Mohenjo-daro in Sind is the s.-most point. [A note by the scribe in the s. Rock-edicts of Aśoka is in Kharoṣṭhī.] Outside India Chinese Turkestan has yielded numerous documents and a Prakrit *Dhammapada* in Kharoṣṭhī.