CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Epigraphy, Inscriptions and Historical Sources -

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CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Epigraphy, Inscriptions and Historical Sources

⏱️ 30 Minutes

❓ 20 Questions

📌 Answers are locked once submitted — results and explanations appear at the end.

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Epigraphy, Inscriptions and Historical Sources

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QUESTION 1 OF 20

Which of the following statements best describes how historians approach epigraphy (the study of inscriptions) to understand political and economic history?

Answer Review

1 Which of the following statements best describes how historians approach epigraphy (the study of inscriptions) to understand political and economic history?

A They rely solely on epigraphy because inscriptions always represent the exact literal truth without exaggeration.

B They view epigraphy as entirely useless because most inscriptions have not survived the ravages of time.

C They juxtapose inscriptional evidence with texts, coins, and visual materials because inscriptions project specific perspectives and do not tell the entire story.

D They use epigraphy exclusively to trace the everyday lives and feelings of landless agricultural laborers.

💡 Short Explanation

Inscriptions are valuable but incomplete sources. They often reflect elite viewpoints. Historians compare them with other evidence.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Historians do not treat inscriptions as complete or unbiased records. Inscriptions often project the perspective of rulers, donors, or commissioners. Therefore, historians compare inscriptional evidence with texts, coins, archaeology, and visual sources to reconstruct a balanced picture of the past. Hence, Option C is correct. Options A, B, and D misrepresent the role and limitations of epigraphy.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Inscriptions may contain exaggerations, selective information, or political propaganda and cannot be accepted uncritically.
�� Option B → Although many inscriptions have been lost, surviving inscriptions remain important historical sources.
�� Option D → Inscriptions rarely focus on the daily emotions and struggles of ordinary laborers.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Reject extreme statements such as "solely," "entirely useless," and "exclusively."

Final Logic:

Historical reconstruction requires multiple sources, making Option C the most balanced answer.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Epigraphy + Other Sources = History."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Limitations and Uses of Inscriptions

2 Fill in the blank: By the second century BCE, we find short ______ inscriptions in a number of cities, which record gifts made to religious institutions and sometimes specify the donor's occupation.

A administrative

B prashasti

C royal

D votive

💡 Short Explanation

Votive inscriptions recorded donations. Donors often mentioned occupations. They provide insights into urban society.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Votive inscriptions were short records of gifts made to religious institutions. They frequently mention donors such as weavers, potters, merchants, and other occupational groups. These inscriptions help historians understand urban society and religious patronage. Therefore Option D is correct. Administrative, royal, and prashasti inscriptions served different purposes.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Administrative inscriptions deal with governance rather than religious donations.
�� Option B → Prashastis are elaborate eulogies praising rulers.
�� Option C → Royal inscriptions focus primarily on rulers and political events.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Link the words "gift" and "religious institutions" with votive inscriptions.

Final Logic:

Donative records are known as votive inscriptions.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Votive = Vow + Donation."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Votive Inscriptions

3 Assertion (A): From the late eighteenth century, European scholars worked backwards from contemporary Bengali and Devanagari manuscripts to decipher ancient scripts.
Reason (R): James Prinsep deciphered the Asokan Brahmi script in 1838.

A Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

B Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

C A is true but R is false

D A is false but R is true

💡 Short Explanation

Scholars compared modern and ancient scripts. Prinsep deciphered Brahmi in 1838. The reason does not directly explain the assertion.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Assertion is correct because scholars used known scripts such as Bengali and Devanagari to understand ancient writing systems. The Reason is also correct because James Prinsep deciphered Asokan Brahmi in 1838. However, Prinsep's achievement was a result of this broader process rather than the explanation for it. Therefore Option B is correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → The Reason is true but does not directly explain the methodology mentioned in the Assertion.
�� Option C → The Assertion is historically correct.
�� Option D → Both the Assertion and Reason are true.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Check both statements separately and then assess the explanatory relationship.

Final Logic:

Both are true, but the Reason is not the direct explanation.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Prinsep Deciphered; Scholars Compared."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Decipherment of Brahmi

4 Identify the incorrect statement about the Kharosthi script:

A It was the predominant script used for writing early Tamil Sangam texts in South India.

B It was used in the earliest inscriptions and coins found in the northwest.

C The coins of Indo-Greek kings contained names written in Kharosthi.

D James Prinsep was able to identify the language of the Kharosthi inscriptions as Prakrit.

💡 Short Explanation

Kharosthi was used mainly in the northwest. Tamil texts used different scripts. Option A is geographically incorrect.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Kharosthi was primarily used in northwestern parts of the subcontinent and appeared on inscriptions and Indo-Greek coins. It was not the script used for Tamil Sangam literature in South India. Prinsep identified its language as Prakrit. Therefore Option A is incorrect, while B, C, and D are historically accurate.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Kharosthi is well attested in northwestern inscriptions and coins.
�� Option C → Indo-Greek bilingual coinage aided decipherment.
�� Option D → Prinsep successfully identified the language as Prakrit.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Odd One Out

Application:

Identify the option that incorrectly places Kharosthi in South India.

Final Logic:

Kharosthi belonged to the northwest, not Tamilakam.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Kharosthi = Northwest Script."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Kharosthi Script

5 Match the Following

List I	List II
1. James Prinsep	a. Published Indian Epigraphy and Indian Epigraphical Glossary
2. Colin Mackenzie	b. Collected over 8,000 inscriptions in Sanskrit and Dravidian languages
3. Alexander Cunningham	c. Published a set of Asokan inscriptions in 1877
4. D. C. Sircar	d. An officer in the EIC mint who deciphered Brahmi

A 1–a, 2–d, 3–b, 4–c

B 1–c, 2–b, 3–a, 4–d

C 1–b, 2–a, 3–c, 4–d

D 1–d, 2–b, 3–c, 4–a

💡 Short Explanation

Prinsep deciphered Brahmi. Mackenzie collected inscriptions. Cunningham and Sircar contributed epigraphic studies.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

James Prinsep (1-d) deciphered Brahmi. Colin Mackenzie (2-b) collected thousands of inscriptions. Alexander Cunningham (3-c) published Asokan inscriptions in 1877. D. C. Sircar (4-a) authored important epigraphical works such as Indian Epigraphy and Indian Epigraphical Glossary. Thus Option D correctly matches all entries.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Incorrectly assigns the achievements of Sircar and Prinsep.
�� Option B → Misplaces Cunningham and Sircar.
�� Option C → Contains multiple incorrect pairings.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Option Grouping

Application:

Associate each scholar with his major contribution.

Final Logic:

Only Option D correctly matches all four individuals.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Prinsep–Brahmi, Mackenzie–Collection."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Historians and Epigraphy

6 How did epigraphists logically deduce that inscriptions referring to "Piyadassi" and "Devanampiya" were issued by the Mauryan king Asoka?

A Because Megasthenes' account contained a direct translation of these titles into Greek.

B Because they found a single inscription detailing the exact day Asoka changed his name.

C By examining multiple inscriptions and finding that they matched in terms of content, style, language, and palaeography.

D By carbon dating the iron pillars upon which the inscriptions were carved.

💡 Short Explanation

Multiple inscriptions were compared. Similar language and style were identified. Evidence linked the titles with Asoka.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Epigraphists compared inscriptions mentioning Piyadassi and Devanampiya and found similarities in content, script, language, and palaeography. Additional evidence from Sri Lankan Buddhist texts connected these titles with Asoka. Therefore Option C is correct. Historical identification emerged through comparative analysis rather than a single inscription or scientific dating.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Megasthenes did not provide such a translation.
�� Option B → No such inscription exists.
�� Option D → Carbon dating cannot identify royal titles in this way.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Focus on the actual methods used by epigraphists.

Final Logic:

Comparative inscriptional analysis established Asoka's identity.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Piyadassi + Similar Scripts = Asoka."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Identification of Asoka

7 Which of the following is an example of early historical figures being referred to in their Prakrit spellings rather than Sanskrit in the chapter's texts and inscriptions?

A Ajatasattu

B Samudragupta

C Rudradaman

D Harishena

💡 Short Explanation

Early inscriptions often used Prakrit. Ajatasattu is a Prakrit form. Sanskrit forms appeared later.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that many early names appear in Prakrit spellings. Ajatasattu is a well-known Prakrit rendering. The other names are typically encountered in Sanskrit inscriptional traditions. Therefore Option A is correct and demonstrates the linguistic pattern found in early texts and inscriptions.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Samudragupta is known through Sanskrit inscriptions.
�� Option C → Rudradaman's inscriptions are in Sanskrit.
�� Option D → Harishena was a Sanskrit court poet.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall examples used by NCERT to explain Prakrit usage.

Final Logic:

Ajatasattu is the Prakrit example.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Ajatasattu = Prakrit Name."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Prakrit Language

8 The Tamil Sangam texts provide vital historical information regarding:

A The precise measurements of the Harappan Great Bath.

B Poems describing chiefs and the ways in which they acquired and distributed resources.

C Detailed administrative guidelines identical to the Arthashastra.

D The decipherment keys for the Aramaic script used in Afghanistan.

💡 Short Explanation

Sangam texts are literary sources. They describe chiefs and society. Resource distribution is a major theme.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Tamil Sangam literature contains poems describing chiefs, warfare, gift-giving, patronage, and resource distribution. These texts are valuable historical sources for understanding early Tamil society. Therefore Option B is correct. The remaining options concern unrelated topics not addressed by Sangam literature.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Harappan measurements are derived archaeologically.
�� Option C → Administrative guidelines belong to texts like the Arthashastra.
�� Option D → Sangam texts are unrelated to Aramaic decipherment.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Remove options unrelated to Tamil literary traditions.

Final Logic:

Sangam texts focus on chiefs, society, and resource distribution.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Sangam = Chiefs and Gifts."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Sangam Literature

9 Arrange the following numismatic developments in correct chronological sequence:
1. Hoards of gold coins issued by Gupta rulers
2. Earliest punch-marked coins of silver and copper
3. Coins bearing names and images of rulers issued by Indo-Greeks
4. First gold coins issued by the Kushanas

A 2, 4, 3, 1

B 2, 3, 4, 1

C 3, 2, 1, 4

D 4, 2, 3, 1

💡 Short Explanation

Punch-marked coins came first. Indo-Greek ruler coins followed. Kushana and Gupta gold coinage appeared later.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The earliest punch-marked coins appeared from the sixth century BCE (2). Indo-Greeks later issued coins with names and images of rulers (3). Kushanas introduced significant gold coinage (4). Gupta rulers subsequently issued famous gold coin hoards (1). Thus the correct sequence is 2 → 3 → 4 → 1, making Option B correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Places Kushana gold coins before Indo-Greek issues.
�� Option C → Incorrectly begins with Indo-Greek coinage.
�� Option D → Places Kushana coinage before punch-marked coins.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Arrange developments according to known chronology.

Final Logic:

Punch-marked → Indo-Greek → Kushana → Gupta.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Punch → Portrait → Kushana Gold → Gupta Gold."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Numismatics

10 What archaeological discovery led some historians to apply the notion that Kushana rulers considered themselves "godlike"?

A Colossal statues of Kushana rulers found installed in shrines at Mat (Mathura) and in Afghanistan.

B The recovery of their bodies preserved in elaborate Egyptian-style pyramids.

C Inscriptions detailing their birth from the waters of the Ganges.

D The complete absence of any weapons buried alongside their dead.

💡 Short Explanation

Kushana rulers adopted divine symbolism. Colossal statues were placed in shrines. Historians infer godlike kingship from this evidence.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Historians associate Kushana divine kingship with the discovery of colossal statues installed in shrines at Mat (Mathura) and in Afghanistan. These findings support the interpretation that rulers projected themselves as godlike figures. Therefore Option A is correct. The remaining options lack archaeological or textual support.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → No evidence exists of Kushana pyramid burials.
�� Option C → No inscriptions describe such mythical origins.
�� Option D → Weapon burials are unrelated to divine kingship.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify the option supported by archaeological evidence.

Final Logic:

Colossal shrine statues provide the strongest evidence for godlike kingship.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Kushana Kings = Giant Shrine Statues."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Divine Kingship and Kushanas

11 According to Pali texts, a 'gahapati' was:

A The supreme military commander of an oligarchy.

B A royal scribe responsible for engraving copper plates.

C The head of a household who owned resources like land and animals.

D A landless agricultural labourer in the Magadhan empire.

💡 Short Explanation

Gahapati means household head. Owned land, cattle, and resources. Important figure in rural society.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

In Pali texts, the term gahapati referred to the head of a household who controlled resources such as land, cattle, and agricultural produce. Gahapatis often occupied a relatively prosperous position in rural society. Therefore Option C is correct. The term was not associated with military command, scribal duties, or landless labourers.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Military leadership was not the function of a gahapati.
�� Option B → Copper-plate engravers and scribes were separate occupational groups.
�� Option D → Landless labourers were distinct from resource-owning household heads.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall the socio-economic meaning attached to the term gahapati in Pali literature.

Final Logic:

A gahapati was a resource-owning household head.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Gaha = Ghar (House) → Household Head."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Gahapati

12 While modern historians point to productive agriculture and iron mines, what did early Buddhist and Jaina writers attribute Magadha's immense power to?

A Its widespread use of Aramaic and Greek scripts.

B Its reliance entirely on naval superiority over the Arabian Sea.

C The complete absence of a standing army.

D The policies of ruthlessly ambitious kings like Bimbisara and Ajatasattu.

💡 Short Explanation

Buddhist and Jaina texts emphasized rulers. Bimbisara and Ajatasattu were highlighted. Their policies were linked to Magadha's rise.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Early Buddhist and Jaina traditions explained Magadha's growth primarily through the actions of ambitious rulers such as Bimbisara and Ajatasattu. Modern historians additionally emphasize geographical and economic factors. Therefore Option D is correct. The remaining options have no connection with the explanations offered by these traditions.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Scripts were not cited as the basis of Magadha's power.
�� Option B → Magadha's strength was not based on Arabian Sea naval dominance.
�� Option C → Magadha possessed military strength rather than lacking it.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Distinguish between modern historical explanations and literary traditions.

Final Logic:

Buddhist and Jaina writers emphasized ambitious kings.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Magadha Rise = Bimbisara + Ajatasattu."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Rise of Magadha

13 Which of the following statements applies to the Prayaga Prashasti?

A It compares the king to deities like Kubera, Varuna, and Indra.

B It explicitly details the failures and defeats of the Gupta rulers.

C It was a popular oral tale composed in Pali by ordinary peasants.

D It records an angry protest against oppressive taxes by village women.

💡 Short Explanation

Prayaga Prashasti is a royal eulogy. It praises Samudragupta extensively. Divine comparisons enhance royal prestige.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Prayaga Prashasti, composed by Harishena, glorifies Samudragupta and compares him with deities such as Kubera, Varuna, Indra, and Yama. Such comparisons were intended to magnify royal authority. Therefore Option A is correct. The inscription is a eulogy, not a record of failures, folk literature, or social protest.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Prashastis emphasize achievements rather than failures.
�� Option C → The inscription was composed in Sanskrit by a court poet.
�� Option D → It is not a record of village resistance or taxation protests.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall the purpose of a prashasti as royal praise.

Final Logic:

Divine comparisons are a hallmark of the Prayaga Prashasti.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Prashasti = Praise."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Prayaga Prashasti

14 The copper plate inscription of Prabhavati Gupta granting land to Chanalasvamin is historically significant because:

A It proves the Guptas ruled over the entire Tamil country.

B It was the only inscription ever discovered entirely in Greek in Central India.

C It provides a rare exception to the Sanskrit legal texts which stated women were not supposed to have independent access to land.

D It confirms that land grants were only given to Buddhist monasteries during the Gupta era.

💡 Short Explanation

Prabhavati Gupta issued a land grant. Demonstrates female control over land. Contrasts with legal prescriptions.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The inscription is significant because it records Prabhavati Gupta making a land grant in her own right. This provides evidence that elite women could exercise authority over land despite legal texts often restricting women's independent property rights. Therefore Option C is correct. The inscription does not support the claims made in the other options.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → The inscription does not establish Gupta rule over all Tamil regions.
�� Option B → It was not a Greek inscription.
�� Option D → Land grants were made to various beneficiaries, not exclusively Buddhist institutions.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Focus on the unique historical significance of the inscription.

Final Logic:

Its importance lies in evidence of female landholding authority.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Prabhavati = Property Rights Evidence."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Prabhavati Gupta Land Grant

15 To understand Mauryan military coordination, historians analyze Megasthenes' account of a committee with six subcommittees. What might historians do to assess the validity of such extensive resource requirements?

A They exclusively believe Greek sources over any Indian texts.

B They rely entirely on Harappan urban layouts for proof.

C They assume all classical sources are purely fictional.

D They consider if maintaining a standing army of 600,000 foot-soldiers aligns with the empire's vast tax collection infrastructure.

💡 Short Explanation

Historians test claims using evidence. Large armies require large resources. Administrative capacity is examined.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Historians evaluate historical claims by checking whether they fit known economic and administrative realities. If Megasthenes mentions a huge army, historians examine whether Mauryan taxation and bureaucracy could support it. Therefore Option D is correct. Historical analysis requires corroboration rather than blind acceptance or rejection.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Historians do not privilege one source unquestioningly.
�� Option B → Harappan evidence is unrelated to Mauryan military administration.
�� Option C → Classical sources are critically assessed, not automatically dismissed.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Identify the option reflecting proper historical methodology.

Final Logic:

Historical claims must be tested against available evidence.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Big Army = Big Tax Base."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Historical Method and Mauryan Administration

16 Historians must constantly assess whether statements in inscriptions are true, plausible, or exaggerations. Which of Asoka's claims must be evaluated carefully against the history of prior rulers?

A His claim of conquering the Roman Empire.

B His statement that earlier rulers had no arrangements for receiving regular reports.

C His declaration that he invented the iron ploughshare.

D His command to immediately ban the Sanskrit language.

💡 Short Explanation

Inscriptions may exaggerate achievements. Historians compare claims with evidence. Administrative statements require verification.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Asoka claimed that previous rulers had not arranged for regular reports from officials. Historians must examine whether this statement is factual or an exaggeration designed to highlight his own governance. Therefore Option B is correct. The other options are not genuine claims found in Asokan inscriptions.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Asoka never claimed to conquer the Roman Empire.
�� Option C → He never claimed to invent the iron ploughshare.
�� Option D → No inscription records a ban on Sanskrit.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify the option based on an actual inscriptional claim.

Final Logic:

Only Option B reflects a claim requiring historical scrutiny.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Asoka's Reports = Verify, Don't Assume."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Interpreting Asokan Inscriptions

📄 Passage

"Others are dated on the basis of palaeography or styles of writing, with a fair amount of precision. For instance, in c. 250 BCE the letter "a" was written like this: . By c. 500 CE, it was written like this: . The earliest inscriptions were in Prakrit, a name for languages used by ordinary people."

According to the passage, if a historian uses palaeography to date an inscription, they are primarily analyzing:

A The radioactive decay of the stone material.

B The specific dialect of Prakrit being used.

C The amount of gold buried alongside the inscription.

D The stylistic evolution of letter shapes over time.

💡 Short Explanation

Palaeography studies writing styles. Letter forms change over time. These changes help date inscriptions.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Palaeography refers to the study of scripts and the evolution of letter forms. Historians compare the shapes of letters in an inscription with dated examples to estimate its age. Therefore Option D is correct. The technique is unrelated to radioactivity, buried objects, or dialect analysis alone.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Radioactive dating belongs to scientific dating methods, not palaeography.
�� Option B → Language analysis differs from script analysis.
�� Option C → Buried gold has no direct connection with palaeographic dating.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Link the term palaeography with writing styles.

Final Logic:

Palaeography focuses on changing letter shapes.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Palaeography = Penmanship Through Time."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Palaeography

📄 Passage

Based on the passage, if an undated Prakrit inscription contains a style of the letter "a" matching the style of c. 250 BCE, a historian would logically conclude that:

A The text is a modern forgery.

B The inscription was likely created during the third century BCE.

C The inscription definitely belonged to the Gupta Empire (c. 500 CE).

D The language used was understood exclusively by the Brahmana class.

💡 Short Explanation

Similar letter styles indicate similar dates. Palaeography provides approximate chronology. Matching c.250 BCE suggests third century BCE.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

If the letter form matches examples dated to around 250 BCE, historians would reasonably place the inscription in approximately the same period. This is the basic principle of palaeographic dating. Therefore Option B is correct. The passage provides no support for forgery, Gupta dating, or exclusive Brahmana usage.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Similarity to ancient scripts does not indicate forgery.
�� Option C → Gupta-era scripts differed significantly from earlier forms.
�� Option D → Prakrit was associated with ordinary people.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Substitution

Application:

Substitute the given script style with its known date range.

Final Logic:

Matching script style implies a similar historical period.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Same Script, Same Century."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Dating Through Palaeography

19 Why do historians consider the body of epigraphical evidence available today to be "incomplete"?

A Because thousands of inscriptions have been found, but not all survived the ravages of time, and some remain undeciphered.

B Because kings explicitly ordered the destruction of their own inscriptions after their deaths.

C Because no inscriptions have ever been found south of the Vindhya mountains.

D Because inscriptions only ever used the Greek script.

💡 Short Explanation

Many inscriptions were lost over time. Some remain unread or damaged. Available evidence is therefore incomplete.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The epigraphic record is incomplete because many inscriptions have been destroyed, eroded, or lost. In addition, some inscriptions remain undeciphered or partially damaged. Therefore Option A is correct. Historians must work with surviving evidence while recognizing these limitations in the historical record.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → No general historical practice of such destruction is known.
�� Option C → Numerous inscriptions have been found south of the Vindhyas.
�� Option D → Ancient Indian inscriptions used several scripts, not only Greek.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Reject historically unsupported absolute statements.

Final Logic:

Loss, damage, and undeciphered records make evidence incomplete.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Lost + Damaged + Undeciphered = Incomplete."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Limitations of Epigraphy

20 A researcher wants to study the daily struggles, routine agricultural practices, and specific sorrows of ordinary villagers in early India. Why might inscriptions be an unhelpful primary source for this?

A Villagers were forbidden by law from being mentioned in texts.

B Inscriptions were always destroyed by invading armies.

C Inscriptions generally project the grand events and perspectives of the elites who commissioned them.

D Inscriptions were only used for long-distance trade records.

💡 Short Explanation

Most inscriptions were elite-sponsored. They emphasize power and achievements. Ordinary life is rarely described.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Inscriptions generally record donations, royal achievements, land grants, and political events from the viewpoint of rulers or elite patrons. Consequently, they provide limited information about the everyday experiences of ordinary villagers. Therefore Option C is correct. Historians must use additional sources to reconstruct common people's lives.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → No universal law prohibited mentioning villagers.
�� Option B → Many inscriptions survived despite invasions.
�� Option D → Inscriptions served many purposes beyond trade records.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Identify the fundamental limitation of elite-sponsored inscriptions.

Final Logic:

Elite perspectives dominate inscriptional evidence.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Inscriptions = Elite Voice."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Biases and Limits of Inscriptions

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Epigraphy, Inscriptions and Historical Sources

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