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Abstract
Epigraphy is an important source for constructing the political and cultural history of the ancient India. Generally, any historical information is acknowledged as true-blue when it is substantiated by an epigraphical record. So in the study of the history of literature, language and history, epigraphy has a vital role to play. So this chapter concerns itself with some of the fundamental features of epigraphy. These inscriptions are broadly divided into two categories viz., stone inscriptions and copper-plate inscriptions. The stone records are found literally in thousands in different parts of the country. The copper plates are naturally limited in number but quite a large number of them have been discovered in later periods. The copper-plate inscriptions main theme is to register the gift of land or other privileges mostly to individuals and in a few cases to temples or institutions. A majority of them are thus title deeds of land-grants made to the individual Brahmans or group of the Brahmans.