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Consider the following statements relating to the use of the place-value system in India :
1. The earliest epigraphic use of the place-value system in India is found in the Mankani plates from Gujarat (AD 595 - 596).
2. In the ninth century, place-values become general in inscriptions all over India.
3. The place-values have been found in Sanskrit inscriptions in South-east Asia as early as the seventh century.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Mankani plates of Taralasvamin from Gujarat, dated to the Kalachuri year 346 (approximately 595–596 CE), are widely cited as the earliest epigraphic evidence of the decimal place-value system in India. Although some historians have debated their authenticity, they remain the standard reference for the earliest epigraphic use of this system in the subcontinent.
Statement 2 is correct: While early examples of the place-value system exist, its use in expressing dates and numbers did not become a regular and general feature in inscriptions across all parts of India until the ninth century CE. A prominent example is the Gwalior inscription of 876 CE, which clearly uses zero in a decimal place-value context.
Statement 3 is correct: The earliest indisputable epigraphic records of the decimal place-value system with zero are actually found in Sanskrit and vernacular inscriptions from Southeast Asia, dating back to the seventh century CE. Examples include the Sambor inscription in Cambodia (683 CE) and Srivijaya inscriptions in Sumatra (e.g., Kota Kapur in 686 CE). This reflects the deep transmission of Indian mathematical concepts to Southeast Asia.
Therefore, all three statements are correct.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a classic 'bouncer' driven by the government's recent push for Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). While standard NCERTs mention copper plates and Sanskritization, the specific epigraphic dates for the place-value system (Mankani plates, SE Asia transmission) are deep-cut facts from specialized academic papers and UGC IKS guidelines. Recognize the theme (Science & Tech in Ancient India) and prepare for similar IKS-inspired questions.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
It establishes that copper plates were the standard medium for recording transactions and land grants from the early centuries of the Common Era, often written in Sanskrit.
A student could infer that the first physical (epigraphic) evidence of mathematical systems used in administration or dating would likely be found on these copper plates.
The timeline confirms that the period c. 500-600 CE was a time of significant political development and the rise of regional kingdoms (like the Chalukyas).
A student can verify that the date AD 595-596 falls exactly within this period of established epigraphic and administrative activity.
It lists specific copper plate inscriptions (Madhuban, Banskhera) used for royal records and seals in the early 7th century.
This confirms that copper plates were the standard, formal method for official documentation in the era immediately following the date mentioned in the statement.
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SIMILAR QUESTIONS
Consider the following statements about science in medieval South India: 1. The Katapayadi system of numerals, which was invented by Vararuchi of Kerala, the author of Chandra Vakyas, was used for calculating the position of Moon on any day of the year. 2. Achyuta Pisharati (1550 – 1621) wrote Uparagakriyakrama, a text on eclipses. 3. Ravi Varma of Mahodayapuram set up an observatory and is also said to have inaugurated the Kollam era. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements : 1. Under Akbar, the system of Zabt was established over a large area from Punjab to Awadh. 2. In the seventeenth century North India, the system of Zabt lost much ground to the system of Kankut. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements about the historical evidence of inscriptions in India :
1. The oldest deciphered inscriptions are in Brahmi and Kharoshthi.
2. The earliest inscriptions in the Tamil language are copper plate grants.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements with reference to early trade :
1. There are references of numerous river-ports in ancient India.
2. There were large entrepots of goods and traffic.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
Consider the following statements with reference to early trade :
1. There are references of numerous river-ports in ancient India.
2. There were large entrepots of goods and traffic.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?