Early Indian administrative documents (ca. 2nd c. BCE - 3rd c. CE)

Martini, Kelsey (2023): Early Indian administrative documents (ca. 2nd c. BCE - 3rd c. CE): problematic ancient inscriptions in light of book two of the Kauṭilya Arthaśāstra. Dissertation, LMU München: Faculty of Cultural Studies

Abstract

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to provide new textual editions of 18 difficult early (ca. 2nd c. BCE - 3rd c. CE) Indian inscriptions, all of which are either direct copies of original administrative documents or contain portions that are copied from an original document. This includes 6 land donation inscriptions from the Ambika cetiyaghara at Junnar, 8 inscriptions from the caves at Kanheri, an inscription from a wooden pillar from the village of Kirari in Chhattisgarh, 2 fragmentary inscriptions from Mahād, an inscription from another cave at Junnar, and a Prakrit ostracon inscription found in Egypt. This is accomplished through a comparative analysis of the technical terminology of the epigraphs with that of Book Two of the Kauṭilya Arthaśāstra, the Adhyakṣapracāra “Activities of the Superintendents”. This section of the text lays out the administrative structure of the ancient Indian State in excruciating detail and is generally understood by scholars to consist largely of an earlier treatise composed in ca. 1st BCE - 1st c. CE Western Maharashtra that served as one of the primary sources in the compilation of the larger Arthaśāstra. The close correspondence between the precise technical terminology of the inscriptions and the Adhyakṣapracāra enables us to decipher difficult portions of the inscriptions that had previously eluded explanation and provides further concrete evidence for the geographic and temporal placement of the text.

• Item Type: Theses (Dissertation, LMU Munich)
• Keywords: Indian Epigraphy, Western Deccan, Arthaśāstra, Inscriptions, Administrative Systems and Documents
• Subjects: 900 History and geography; 900 History and geography > 950 General history of Asia, Far East
• Faculties: Faculty of Cultural Studies
• Language: English
• Date of oral examination: 6. November 2023
• 1. Referee: Baums, Stefan
• Signature of the printed copy: 0700/UMC 31538