World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 596

say, place names disclose the pages of not and varied knowledge, profuse interest and world of wonders not only for a keen observer or a reseacher of nature and environments but to the layman too. This has no barrier or distinction of dialect, region and time. Thus, its study is universal. Place names and archaeological layers
Place names do reflect the various vicissitudes as settlement has passed through the ages. From this particular angle, its behaviour is very similer to those of stratified layer of an archaeological excevation. Thus, in words both vertically and horizontally; while the verticality is most useful in knowing the chronology, horizontally it helps in understanding the historical, geograpical and settelement pattern. Importance of Studying place names
Names whether of places or persons or objects are simple in nature prima facie and straightforward in character as well as always continuous with full of meaning and significance, but take us deep into historical context and cultural phenomena. Somehow, because of our ignorance, indifference and inadequacy to know them and interpret them we have made its use complicated. Not only this, but due to several reasons, such as political, social and religious changes and upheavals, place names get changed beyond recognition. Hence, to trace the origin and etymology of a place name several sources like geography, chronicles, epigraphy, literature and traditions come to our aid. Our knowledge of history, geography, sociology etc. can be brodened by the studies of toponomy of a particular region. Three groups of place names
Place names include the names of habitational sites like hamlets, villages, towns, cities, hills, rivers, mountains etc. Some place names are in current usage and found in written records such as archival materials, epigraphical sources. They constitute one group of place name. The second group includes place names that are found only in current usage but not available in written records. Place names that are traced only in written records but not in current usage form the third group. Obsolete place names found in inscriptions, Literature and other records come under this group. Immense is the scope of onomastics
Any area of land, where people settle down to live in, is identified with a name. Therefore the study of them provides us a glimpse into the economic, social and political conditions of the time. Thus, the
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