Question 39
AOptions
BSolution
The edicts of Emperor Ashoka, primarily inscribed on rocks and pillars across his empire, remained undeciphered for centuries. It was James Prinsep, a British antiquarian, orientalist, and numismatist, who first successfully deciphered the ancient Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts in the 1830s. His groundbreaking work in deciphering these scripts unlocked a vast amount of historical information, allowing scholars to read Ashoka's edicts and gain insights into his reign, policies, and the spread of Buddhism. This was a monumental achievement in the study of ancient Indian history.
CStrategy
For questions on significant historical discoveries or breakthroughs, especially those involving decipherment of ancient scripts, identifying the key individual responsible is often a direct factual recall. These are foundational facts in historical studies.
DSyllabus Analysis
This question belongs to Ancient Indian History, specifically the Mauryan period and the history of epigraphy and archaeological discoveries.
EQuestion Analysis
Easy. James Prinsep's role in deciphering Ashokan edicts is a very well-known and fundamental fact in Indian history.