The Brahmi Script is one of the most ancient writing systems of the Indian subcontinent, forming the root of virtually all South and Southeast Asian scripts. This intensive three-day Summer School, organised by the Department of Palaeography, Epigraphy & Numismatics at the Indian Institute of Heritage in collaboration with Kalakosa Division Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts introduces scholars, students, and enthusiasts to the fundamentals of this remarkable script.
Participants will receive hands-on training in reading and identifying Brahmi inscriptions, guided by eminent experts. Sessions will cover the historical evolution of Brahmi, its regional variants, Ashokan edicts, and its descendants in modern scripts.
Brahmi is the progenitor of a vast family of scripts used across Asia. Deciphered in the 19th century by James Prinsep, it unlocked millennia of Indian history. From the edicts of Emperor Ashoka to literary manuscripts of the Gupta era, Brahmi inscriptions are primary sources for understanding ancient Indian religion, polity, trade, and society.
This summer school offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from specialists, engage with facsimiles and photographs of original inscriptions, and gain a foundation for further research in Indian epigraphy, history, art history, and religious studies.
