Max Muller
Also called: Friedrich Max Muller · Topic: Studying Indian History: Sources, Dating and Historiography · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Friedrich Max Müller was a German-born scholar who worked at Oxford in the 19th century. He studied ancient Indian texts and languages. He edited the Rigveda together with the commentary of Sayana, a medieval scholar. He also edited the 50-volume Sacred Books of the East series, which translated Asian religious texts into English. His work made the study of the Vedas popular in Europe. It also shaped how colonial-era scholars understood early India.
Example
His edition of the Rigveda with Sayana's commentary, printed in several volumes in the 19th century, was one of the first full printed editions of the text. It became a standard reference for scholars around the world.
Don't confuse with
- James Prinsep: an officer of the East India Company who deciphered (worked out how to read) the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts in the 1830s. Max Müller worked on texts and languages, not on reading inscriptions.
Related concepts
- Sources of history
- Archaeology
- Numismatics
- Archaeo-botany
- Underwater archaeology
- Literary sources
- Oral tradition
- Hagiography
- Kalhana
- Rajatarangini