Copper-plate grant
One of the most important sources of history in the Indian subcontinent are the royal records of grants engraved on copper-plates (tamra-shasan or tamra-patra). Because copper does not rust or decay, they can survive indefinitely.
Collections of archaeological texts fropm the copper-plates and rock-inscriptions have been compiled and published by the Archaeological Survey of India during the past century.
The earliest known copper-plate known as the Sohgaura copper-plate is a Maurya record that mentions famine relief efforts. It is one of the very few pre-Ashoka Brahmi inscriptions in India.
External links
 | This article relating to archaeology is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
  | This Indian history-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |