Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum
Also called: CII · Topic: Studying Indian History: Sources, Dating and Historiography · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum (CII) is a series of books that collects the major ancient Indian inscriptions in one place. Each volume gives the original text, a translation and notes. It was started in the colonial period, after scripts like Brahmi had been deciphered. It turned scattered stones and plates into a standard reference that historians still use.
Example
Volume I, Inscriptions of Asoka, was published by Alexander Cunningham in 1877. A later volume by J.F. Fleet collected the inscriptions of the Gupta kings. Other volumes cover records of the Kalachuris and other dynasties.
Don't confuse with
- Epigraphia Indica: this series began in 1888 and is a journal. It came out regularly and published new inscriptions as they were found. The CII is a set of planned volumes, each built around one dynasty or period.
Related concepts
- Inscription
- Epigraphy
- Prakrit
- Palaeography
- Votive inscriptions
- Aihole inscription
- Copper plate inscriptions
- Asiatic Society of Bengal
- James Prinsep
- Brahmi script