Brāhmī script is one of the oldest known writing systems in the Indian subcontinent, dating back to the c. 3rd century BCE. It was used to write various languages of ancient India, including Sanskrit, Prakrit (vernacular languages), and some inscriptions in Dravidian languages. The script remained undeciphered until the 19th century when James Prinsep, a British scholar and archaeologist, successfully deciphered it by comparing inscriptions in Brāhmī with known inscriptions in other scripts. Over time, Brāhmī script evolved into several regional scripts, and some of them eventually gave rise to modern Indian scripts. By the c. 5th century CE, the use of Brāhmī declined in favour of other scripts like Devanagari, Tamil script, Bengali script, etc.

This course delves into the formal and stylistic characteristics of artworks, which are often shaped by the historical periods and cultural contexts in which they were produced. In this study, we will examine art's development over time and across regions within India. Students will gain the skills necessary to recognize key formal and stylistic trends that define various stages in Indian art history and knowledge archaeology. This method will help us understand the connections between artistic works and their specific socio-historical settings and textual interpretations. The unit will also highlight a continuous thread that links Indian art from ancient to modern times.