The Hindu-Arabic Numerals c7.51

c7.51

Concerning the earliest epigraphical instances of the use of the nine symbols, plus the zero, with place value, there is some question. Colebrooke¹ in 1807 warned against the possibility of forgery in many of the ancient copper-plate land grants. On this account Fleet, in the *Indian Antiquary*,² discusses at length this phase of the work of the epigraphists in India, holding that many of these forgeries were made about the end of the eleventh century. Colebrooke³ takes a more rational view of these forgeries than does Kaye, who seems to hold that they tend to invalidate the whole Indian hypothesis. "But even where that may be suspected, the historical uses of a monument fabricated so much nearer to the times to which it assumes to belong, will not be entirely superseded. The necessity of rendering the forged grant credible would compel a fabricator to adhere to history, and conform to established notions: and the tradition, which prevailed in his time, and by which he must be guided, would probably be so much nearer to the truth, as it was less remote from the period which it concerned."⁴ Bühler⁵ gives the copper-plate Gurjara inscription of Cedi-saṃvat 346 (595 A.D.) as the oldest epigraphical use of the numerals⁶ "in which the symbols correspond to the alphabet numerals of the period and the place." Vincent A. Smith⁷ quotes a stone inscription of 815 A.D., dated Saṃvat 872. So F. Kielhorn in the *Epigraphia Indica*⁸ gives a Pathari pillar inscription of Parabala, dated Vikrama-saṃvat 917, which corresponds to 861 A.D., and refers also to another copper-plate inscription dated Vikrama-saṃvat 813 (756 a.d.). The inscription quoted by V. A. Smith above is that given by D. R. Bhandarkar,¹ and another is given by the same writer as of date Saka-saṃvat 715 (798 a.d.), being incised on a pilaster. Kielhorn² also gives two copper-plate inscriptions of the time of Mahendrapala of Kanauj, Valhabī-saṃvat 574 (893 a.d.) and Vikrama-saṃvat 956 (899 a.d.). That there should be any inscriptions of date as early even as 750 a.d., would tend to show that the system was at least a century older. As will be shown in the further development, it was more than two centuries after the introduction of the numerals into Europe that they appeared there upon coins and inscriptions. While Thibaut³ does not consider it necessary to quote any specific instances of the use of the numerals, he states that traces are found from 590 a.d. on. "That the system now in use by all civilized nations is of Hindu origin cannot be doubted; no other nation has any claim upon its discovery, especially since the references to the origin of the system which are found in the nations of western Asia point unanimously towards India."⁴