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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
No. 6.-CAMBAY PLATES OF GOVINDA IV. ; The copper-plates, a transcript and translation of which rare given below, were originally found at Cambay, called Khambâyat by the people. While a husbandman was tilling his field. his plough struck against a hard substance. On digging a portion of the ground near that spot, he discovered a wooden box, which was so rotten that with little effort he broke it to pieces. It contained a black dirty object, which, until it was cleaned, was not recognised to be these plates. From the husbandman the plates afterwards went into the possession of a Gujarâtî living at Petlad, which is not very far from Cambay. The Gujarâtî was very unwilling to part with the plates. I requested Professor Abaji Vishnu Kathavate to intercede in my favour. This he kindly did, and was soon successful in securing the plates for me.
The plates are three in number, each about 13⅝” long by 10⅜” broad. The edges of them
are fashioned slightly thicker, so as to serve as rims for the protection of the writing. The inscription is engraved on the inner sides of the first and third plates, and on both sides of the
second plate. Two small pieces have been broken off near the lower corners of the third plate,
and a few letters are here and there damaged on account of verdigris. Still the inscription is on
the whole well preserved and legible throughout. The plates are strung together by a circular
ring, of about 4⅜” in diameter and of about ¾”in thickness, passing through holes on one side of
each plate. The ring had not yet been cut when the plates were sent to Dr. Hultzsch. The ends
[3 ] I.e. with which all documents issued at this time had to begin. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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