Epigraphia Indica Vol 21

Author(s): Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 346

No. 44.]
SIX INSCRIPTIONS IN THE LAHORE MUSEUM.
293
No. 44.-SIX INSCRIPTIONS IN THE LAHORE MUSEUM.
BY RAI BAHADUR DAYA RAM SAHNI, C.I.E., M.A. The Central Museum at Lahore possesses a large number of stone inscriptions the bulk of which were collected in the early nineties of the last century by Major H. A. Deane, C.S.I., then Deputy Commissioner of Peshāwar, on the northern borders of the Peshawar District and in the independent territory beyond it. The majority of these are in an unknown script which have so far remained undeciphered. A few of the others are short Sanskrit epigraphs in Sāradā characters which were also found in the same region and the remainder in the Nāgari characters. Some of the inscriptions in the unknown script were first dealt with by M. Senart in a paper read by him before the Tenth International Congress of Orientalists in 1894. The whole collection was subsequently exhaustively treated by Dr. (now Sir) Aurel Stein with illustrative plates in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Part I, 1898, pages 1 to 19. M. Senart recognized three distinct types of writing among these documents and these he connected with well defined territorial divisions. The first type which is designated as the Spankharra variety has characters consisting of irregular, scrawly lines resembling Sgraffiti or monograms. The second group, associated with Boner and the adjoining areas, is characterized by complicated and elaborate signs and these documents are engraved in regular lines on larger stones than those of the first type and have a decidedly monumental look. The third class of documents, known as the Mahaban collection, are also engraved on small stones and show a bewildering variety of signs. Sir Aurel was able to distinguish among these inscriptions a fourth variety of writing to which he gave the name of Nurizai group. These inscriptions are engraved on longish slabs of slate stone, and unlike the inscriptions of the first three groups, these documents are in most cases surrounded by straight engraved lines. The characters in this variety are formed of curves, angles and other simple strokes differing from the linear arrangement exhibited by the signs in the other three groups.
Nothing definite is known of the origin and date of these puzzling epigraphs. M. Senart and Prof. Bühler had noticed a curious similarity between them and the alphabet of the Turkish inscriptions from the bank of the Orkhon, which are assigned to about the first half of the 8th century A.D., i.e., about the period of Ou-Kong's sojourn in Peshāwar. As far as I can make out no further progress has been made with the examination of these records and the mystery is not likely to be solved until, as hinted by Stein, a bilingual inscription is brought to light.
Six of the Sārada epigraphs in the Lahore Museum will be found included in a comprehensive list of all the known Särada inscriptions appended to Dr. Vogel's Antiquities of Chamba State. Among the remaining inscriptions the earliest one is written in characters of the 5th or 6th century A. D. Others are in Nāgari characters. All the inscriptions with the exception of those in the unknown alphabet are incomplete, the extant portions being defaced and in several cases completely obliterated. It is probably for this reason that they have hitherto remained unedited." In view, however, of the comparatively small number of inscriptions from the Punjab and the North-West Frontier which have survived in good condition and been published, I edit them in this article.
I. Sirsa Inscription of circa 6th century A.D. This inscription is engraved on & rectangular block of red sandstone similar to that of which the Mathurā sculptures are generally made. The stone was discovered by Sir A. Cunningham and presented to the Central Museum, Lahore. The stone measures 2' 3" in width by 51" in beight
1 Part I, Appendix I, p. 259.
These have been noticed by me in P.R.A.S., N.C., 1918-19 pp. 18-20 and Appendix C.