What is a source for historians?

Some of the sources which tell us about history are as follows:

• Manuscripts
• Inscriptions
• Coins
• Archeological Sites

Manuscripts: A handwritten book is called manuscript. Before the discovery of printing; books were handwritten. The early manuscripts were written on palm leaves and on bark of birch trees. The ancient manuscript give a lot of information about religious beliefs and practices, life of kings, medicines, science, poems, plays, epics, etc.

Inscriptions: The text written on stone slabs is called inscription. An inscription on stone could survive longer than a manuscript. Most of the inscriptions contain some order or announcement by a king. Such announcements were written in inscriptions so that a large number of people could read them. Some inscriptions contain good deeds by people; especially by kings and merchants. The inscriptions and manuscripts from ancient period were usually written in Sanskrit or Prakrit or Tamil.

Coins: A coin gives information about the king of that period because coins usually contained the image of the king. Coins also tell us about the level of skill among artisans during that period. Coins were first developed in ancient Greece during 600 BC.

Archaeological Sites: Sites from where historical remains are obtained are called archaeological sites. Buildings and monuments also come under archaeological sites. Archaeological sites also include old buildings and monuments. Artifacts and other items excavated from different archaeological sites give rich information about a period.