Indian Historiography in the Ancient Period

Historiography in the ancient Period:  

It is a natural human trait to appreciate the past. Actually, the ancient Indians possessed a thorough knowledge of history. It is widely believed that the ancient Indians were unable to translate their notion of history into history in the modern sense. India didn't have a historian or a history that was worthy of its name, in contrast to ancient Greece, Rome, and China. They lacked historical awareness. But we cannot draw the conclusion that ancient India was deprived of history. In ancient India, history was passed down orally, and a large deal of historical literature was produced. True, the historical accounts of the ancient Indians did not follow the modern definition of history, which is a written study of the past.  

Timeline of Ancient India: 

The ancient history of India covers all continents inhabited by humans in the period 3000 BCE - 500 CE. 

Sources of Indian Ancient Histography: 

1. The Harappan seals and other artefacts inscriptions attest to the fact that Indians had mastered writing by the third millennium B.C.E., and maybe earlier. The Harappan script hasn't been fully interpreted yet, though. 
   

   Harappan seals and other artefacts

2. Inscriptions are the earliest types of historical writing that have been discovered in India. They are believed to date to the reign of Ashok Maurya in the third century B.C.E. His commands are carved into pillars of stone and in the natural rocks. Inscriptions first appear on coins, metal figures and sculptures, and copper plates starting in the first century C.E. They offer significant historical data.  
   

   Ashoka on his chariot

   Ashokan Edicts

3. From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions begin to occur on coins, metal images and sculptures, and also on copper plates. They provide important historical information. They depicted historical monarchs' birthdates, dynastic genealogy, the size and governance of many empires and kingdoms, significant political events, social structures, climatic conditions, famines, etc. that occurred during those periods. 

Written sources of ancient Indian Literature:  

• Epics Ramayana and Mahabharata Puranas 
• Jain and Buddhist writings 
• Historical narratives written by Indian authors 
• Travelogues were written by foreigners 

Information from ancient written sources (Inscriptions): 

• An important development in Indian history is the writing of dynastic histories and royal biographies. 
• King Harsha's biography, ‘Harshacharit,’ was penned by Banabhatta in the seventh century C.E. The social, economic, political, religious, and cultural life throughout the reign of the king is accurately portrayed.

Do you know?  

At Sohagaura, the copper plate was discovered (District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It is believed to date back to the Mauryan era. It has a Brahmi inscription on it. Punch-marked coins also have the "Tree-in-railing" and "Mountain" motifs that appear at the start of the inscription. Another sign, which resembles a building built on four pillars, is meant to represent a granary. The inscription records a royal directive directing the careful distribution of the grains kept in the granary. It is meant to suggest that safety measures were taken during a famine.

• In ancient India, historical knowledge was preserved mainly through oral traditions such as stories of ancestors and mythological accounts.
• The Harappan civilisation shows early use of writing, but the Harappan script has not yet been deciphered.
• The earliest written historical records in India are the inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka from the 3rd century B.C.E.
• From the 1st century C.E., inscriptions on coins, sculptures, and copper plates provided valuable historical information.
• Writing of royal biographies, such as Harshacharit by Banabhatta, marked an important stage in Indian historiography.