Archaeological Sources

 Ashokan Edicts and inscriptions:

            There are Rock Edicts, Pillar Edicts and Cave Inscriptions located at several places in the Indian sub- continent.  Their importance came to be appreciated only after their desperation by James Principe in 1837 and also the identification of Ashoka as the author of these edicts in the beginning of the 20^th  century. Majority of them are in the nature of Ashocka’s  proclamations to the public at large, and only a small group of them describe his own acceptance of Buddhism and his relationship with the sangha (Commune).  Though Prakrit was the language used in them , the script varied from region to region (Kharoshti in the North – west , Greek and Aramaic in the West and Brahmi in the East of India ).

Other Inscriptions :

         Junagadh Rock Inscription Of Rudradaman, Sohgaura Copper Plate Inscription in Gorakhpur district of U.P. Mahasthan Inscription in Bogara district of Bangladesh ._  All these are directly concerned with the Mauryan Period, though they are belied to be not necessarily those of Ashoka.

Material Remains : 

       Wooden palace of Chandragupta Maurya, Northern Black Polished ware   (NBPW) , silver and copper punch- marked coins found in Kumharar (Patna) and other places are the material remains of the Mauryan period.

Ashokan Edicts and Inscriptions		Contents	Found at
Rock Edicts
14  MajorRock Edicts		Various Principles of Dhamma	Manshera ( Hezara, Pakistan ) Shahbjgarhi (Peshwar, Pakisttan), Kalsi ( Dehradun, Uttarakhand), Junagadh ( Girnarm, Gujarat,) Sopara ( Thana , Maharashtra,) Yerragudi (Kurnu ,Andhra Pradesh ,) Dhauli (Puri, Orissa), Jaugada ( Ganjam, Orissa)
2 Kalinga Rock Edicts		New system of administration after the Kalinga war	Dauli or Tosali (puri, Orrisa). Jaugada (Ganjam, Orissa)
Minor Rock Edicts		Personal history of Ashoka and summary  of his dhamma	Sasaram (Bihar ), Maski ( Andhra Pradesh)Bhabru – Bairat (Rajasthan ), Rupanath (Mp)     Gavimath , Palikng _undu  ,siddhpur , Jating  Rameshwar, Brahmagiri (Karnataka)
Bhabru – Bairat Rock Edicts		Ashoka’ conversion to Buddhism	Bhabru –Bairat (Rajasthan)
II. Pillar Edicts
7 pillar Edicts		Appendix to rock Edicts	Merrut- Delhi (Chhoti Lata), Allahabad (UP): Lauriya Nandangadh, Lauriya Arerajand  Rampurva (Bihar )
4 Minor Pillar Edicts	Signs of Ashoka’s fanaticism to Dhamma		Sanchi (MP) ,Sarnath and Allahabad (UP)
2 Tarai Pillar Edicts	Ashoka’s respect for Buddhism		Rummandei/ Lumbini and Nigaliva  (Tarai Nepal)
III Cave Edicts
3 barabar Cave Edicts	Ashoka’s toleration		Barabar Hills (Gaya, Bihar)