Who Deciphered the Brahmi Script? Exploring James Prinsep's Contribution

Discover how James Prinsep cracked the Brahmi script in the 1830s, unlocking ancient Indian languages and history.

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James Prinsep is credited with deciphering the Brahmi script in the 1830s. As an English scholar and orientalist, Prinsep's breakthrough came from analyzing inscriptions on ancient coins and other artifacts. His work enabled the understanding of ancient Indian languages and facilitated the study of early Indian history. This monumental achievement unlocked centuries of knowledge previously inaccessible due to the undeciphered script.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is the Brahmi script? The Brahmi script is one of the oldest writing systems used in ancient India, serving as the ancestor to many modern Indian scripts.
  2. How did James Prinsep contribute to linguistics? James Prinsep made significant contributions to linguistics by deciphering the Brahmi script and enhancing our understanding of ancient Indian languages.
  3. When was the Brahmi script deciphered? The Brahmi script was deciphered in the 1830s, primarily through the efforts of James Prinsep, who analyzed inscriptions on ancient artifacts.
  4. Why is the deciphering of the Brahmi script important? Deciphering the Brahmi script was crucial for understanding early Indian history and allowed scholars to access a wealth of historical texts and inscriptions.

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