Which of the following problems were faced by historians until deciphering the inscriptions?
(A) Inscriptions were damaged.
(B) Letters were faintly engraved.
(C) They were not sure of the exact meaning of the words.
(D) Most inscriptions were written on perishable materials.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (B), (C) only
(A) Inscriptions were damaged. Correct. Among the limits of epigraphy, inscriptions may be damaged or letters missing.
(B) Letters were faintly engraved. Correct. Sometimes the letters are very faintly engraved, and so reconstructions are uncertain.
(C) They were not sure of the exact meaning of the words. Correct. It is not always easy to be sure about the exact meaning of the words used in inscriptions, some of which may be specific to a particular place or time.
(D) Most inscriptions were written on perishable materials. Incorrect. Inscriptions are writings engraved on hard surfaces such as stone, metal or pottery, which is why so many of them have survived.
NCERT (2026-27): “Inscriptions Inscriptions are writings engraved on hard surfaces such as stone, metal or pottery. They usually record the achievements, activities or ideas of those who commissioned them and include the exploits of kings, or donations made by women and men to religious institutions.… 8. The Limitations of Inscriptional Evidence … By now it is probably evident that there are limits to what epigraphy can reveal. Sometimes, there are technical limitations: letters are very faintly engraved, and thus reconstructions are uncertain. Also, inscriptions may be damaged or letters missing. Besides, it is not always easy to be sure about the exact meaning of the words used in inscriptions, some of which may be specific to a particular place or time. If you go through an epigraphical journal (some are listed in Timeline 2), you will realise that scholars are constantly debating and discussing alternative ways of reading inscriptions. Although several thousand inscriptions have been discovered, not all have been deciphered, published and translated. Besides, many more inscriptions must have existed, which have not survived the ravages of time. So what is available at present is probably only a fraction of what was inscribed.…” |