Stone inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley

Stone inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley refer to ancient stone slabs, pillars and pedestals with text carved on them. They are the most important sources for the history of Nepal. A vast majority of the inscriptions found in Nepal are from the Kathmandu Valley where they are an ubiquitous element at heritage sites. They consist of royal edicts and dedicatory notes on Hindu and Buddhist temples, stupas, statues, water spouts and other architectural structures.

The early inscriptions are from the Licchavi period, and date from the fifth to the ninth centuries. They number more than 170, and are carved in Sanskrit language and Gupta script. Inscriptions from the 14th century onwards, which are the most numerous, are in Nepal language (Nepal Bhasa) and Nepal script. The earliest dated inscription in Nepal Bhasa is dated Nepal Era 293 (1173 AD).

The oldest dated inscription in Kathmandu dates from the year 207 of the Saka era which corresponds to 285 AD. It is carved in Gupta characters, also known as Brahmi script, on the pedestal of a statue of King Jayavarman. It was unearthed at a building site in Maligaon in 1992. The language is Sanskrit.

Prior to this discovery, the distinction of the oldest dated stone inscription in the valley was held by an inscription carved on a pillar installed next to the Changu Narayan Temple in Bhaktapur which is dedicated to a Hindu deity Vishnu. It was inscribed in the year 383 which corresponds to 464 AD. It is written in the Sanskrit language and Gupta characters.

Among the thousands of Nepal language inscriptions scattered across Nepal Mandala, or the Kathmandu Valley and its neighborhood, there are a few inscribed in other languages too. King Pratap Malla's polyglot inscription dated Nepal Era 774 (1654 AD) at Kathmandu Durbar Square is an example of his linguistic interest. The massive stone with spouts to dispense water to travelers is carved in 15 languages including English, French and Persian.

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