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2020-12-17T11:33:01Z

Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 8 templates: del empty params (10×); hyphenate params (4×);

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{short description|Cave and archaeological site in India}}
[[File:Bikramkhol .jpg|thumb|Vikramkhol iniscription|319x319px]]
'''Vikramkhol''' or '''Bikramkhol''' cave is a prehistoric archaeological site known for prehistoric inscriptions.

==Location==
Vikramkhol cave is located near [[Jharsuguda]], [[Odisha]], [[India]] and lies in Reserved Forest of Belpahar range, at a distance of 12 km from [[Belpahar]].

==Inscriptions==
The inscriptions at Vikramkhol cave are written on an uneven rock surface in a natural rock shelter using red Ochre paint which is later incised into the rock. The inscriptions were discovered around the 1930s and first studied by [[K. P. Jayaswal|Dr K P Jayaswal]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jayaswal|first=K.P|date=1933|title=The Vikramkhol inscription|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.537235|journal=Indian Antiquary a Journal of Oriental Research|volume=62|pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.537235/page/n68 58]-60}}</ref> who tentatively dates it 1500 BC. There are two theories regarding the inscription – one declares it a writing, while others doubt it as a rock art and nonliterate rock carvings

===Theory of literate script===
According to Jayaswal, the prehistoric scribblings at Vikramkhol represent a picto syllabic writing system which represents a mixture of Harappan and Brahmi hence forming a connection between the two. The inscribed portion covers an area of 35 feet by 7 feet, The evidences which support it as a writing system are as follows;

* The characters are carefully painted and then inscribed which has parallels with Brahmi rock inscriptions
* The writings are in regular lines (not always regular due to rough rock surface)
* the symbols have set forms which disclose ‘writing habits in the phraseology of handwriting experts. The hand which first painted the letters was used to writing with a pen as evidenced from a certain portion of the inscription.
* The system knows the bindu, and also, probably, the visarga. Some letters have dots placed below them, while in some cases dots seem to give a discriminative value to the letters, as in Semitic writing.
* The right-hand corner top line on Plate 8, where the same symbol is repeated more than once, may point to the employment of numerals.
* It is evident that some of the letters disclose accentuation. Repetition of the same letter twice probably suggests consonantal duplication or conjuncts.
* The writing seems to have reached the syllabary (alphabetic) stage.

Other scholars such as Naresh Prasad Rastogi state that Its date of the Vikramkhol inscription is still debatable and its letters deserve a more searching scrutiny <ref>{{Cite book|last=Rastogi|first=N.P|title=Origin of Brāhmī script: The Beginning of Alphabet in India|pages=89}}</ref>

===Non literate system===
Scholars such as [[Richard G. Salomon (academic)|Richard Salomon]] have completely dismissed the Vikramkhol cave inscriptions as pseudo inscriptions<ref>{{Cite book|last=Salomon|first=Richard|title=Indian Epigraphy|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1998|pages=20}}</ref> According C.L Fabri, the topsy turvy incised signs may have some resemblance with Brahmi script but may not represent writing but possibility of a primitive rural writing cannot be denied either<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fabri|first=C.L|title=Latest Attempts to Read the Indus Script". In: Indian Culture|year=1934–35|pages=51–56}}</ref>

===Neglect===
Some historians have felt that, due to negligence and apathy by Government agencies, the inscriptions are fading out and damaged by vandals. Activities of coal mines in surrounding hills, industries like sponge iron are putting environmental pressure on this prehistoric archaeological site.<ref name="telegraph1">{{cite news|last1=Mohanty|first1=Subrat|date=28 December 2011|title=Ancient rock art starts to fade out - Engravings in Vikramkhol cave under threat|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|location=Kolkotta|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111228/jsp/odisha/story_14932470.jsp#.VFjaxjSUep4|access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref> The rock shelter, where the inscriptions are found, is not fully protected and kept open to atmosphere,<ref>{{cite web| title=Rock Art Shelter of Vikramkhol - Vikramkhol - Jharsuguda| url=http://ignca.nic.in/asp/showbig.asp?projid=orgjhar0020001| publisher=Indira Gandhi National Center for Archeology| access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref> giving scope for vandals and visitors to deface the inscriptions.<ref>{{cite news| title=Inscriptions on the Vikramkhol rock shelter in Jharsuguda| url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111229/jsp/odisha/story_14938763.html| access-date=4 November 2014| work=The Telegraph| date=29 December 2011}}</ref> As it is located inside Reserve Forest of Belpahar range, the remote access to the place has also contributed to neglect by Government Agencies.

=== Other Inscriptions ===
Another set of proto Brahmi or pre historic inscriptions have been found at Garjan Dongar in [[Sundergarh district]], and Ushakothi in [[Sambalpur district]] in Orissa.<ref name="Ushakothi">{{cite web|title=Ushakothi|url=http://www.sundargarhzp.odishapr.gov.in/hidden/-/asset_publisher/tMn6waGjYWb6/content/ushakothi/1090772|access-date=3 February 2015|publisher=[[Government of Odisha]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Archaeological sites in Odisha]]
[[Category:Prehistoric art]]
[[Category:Rock art in India]]
[[Category:Caves containing pictograms in India]]
[[Category:Rock shelters]]
[[Category:Jharsuguda district]]
[[Category:Caves of Odisha]]

Vikramkhol Cave Inscription - Revision history

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