Volume-XII, Special Issue, April 2026 |
ইষ্টকে উৎকীর্ন নামলেখ সমূহের আলোকে প্রাচীন ভারতীয় ইতিহাস অনুসন্ধান পিঙ্কি জানা, গবেষক, প্রাচীন ভারতীয় ইতিহাস ও সংস্কৃতি বিভাগ, কলিকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, কলকাতা, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
Received: 08.04.2026 | Accepted: 09.04.2026 | Published Online: 10.04.2026 | Page No: 230-237 | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.specialW.286 | |||||||
Exploring Ancient Indian History in the Light of Inscribed Names on Bricks” Pinki Jana, Research Scholar, Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
Bricks are one of the primary archaeological artifacts that provide insight into the technological knowledge of people in ancient times. Archaeological excavations have uncovered the ruins of numerous brick-built structures, which undoubtedly indicate the presence of an urban civilization. Some of the bricks discovered from these ruins bear inscriptions, making them significant archaeological sources for reconstructing ancient Indian history. In ancient India, the tradition of engraving inscriptions on bricks began during the post-Mauryan Śuṅga period and continued for a long time thereafter. Although many of these decorated bricks are relatively fragile and less durable, having remained exposed and unprotected in nature for long periods, their inscriptions are still legible today. The remarkable combination of technological knowledge and artistic skill displayed by ancient Indian craftsmen truly evokes a sense of wonder. A comprehensive study of brick inscriptions found in India has not yet been completed, though the subject deserves further research. The topic has greatly intrigued me, which led me to pursue research in this area. In this paper, brick inscriptions found in India have been classified into several categories based on the diversity of their content—namely religious, donative, name-inscriptions, and miscellaneous (inscriptions engraved for various purposes). Among these categories, the present study focuses on certain name-inscribed bricks discovered from archaeological sites such as Sahet-Mahet, Bhitari, Manjhi in Bihar, Guntupalli, Pawaya, and Kashipur in Nainital. However, discussing the inscriptions without reference to their archaeological context would be inappropriate. Therefore, it is essential to consider the nature of the archaeological sites in order to understand the true character and significance of these inscriptions. Although the brick inscriptions found at the aforementioned sites primarily consist of names, they hold considerable importance for the study of ancient Indian history. The arguments and primary texts presented in this paper will be analyzed thoroughly, and a comparative discussion will be undertaken with other relevant archaeological and literary sources, giving priority to the most reliable evidence in the search for historical truth. The study also seeks to examine the extent to which brick inscriptions contribute to our understanding of the socio-economic, political, religious, and cultural history of ancient India. | ||
Keywords: Brick inscriptions, name-inscriptions, Bhitari, Manjhi, Guntupalli, Kashipur, Sahet-Mahet. |