Mahasthana Inscription: Difference between revisions

'''Mahasthangarh''' is the earliest urban archaeological sites discovered thus far in [[Bangladesh]]. The village Mahasthan in [[Shibganj Upazila, Bogra|Shibganj upazila]] of [[Bogra District]] contains the remains of an ancient city which was called [[Pundranagar]]a or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of [[Pundravardhana]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Hossain |first=Md. Mosharraf |year=2006 |chapter=Preface |title=Mahasthan: Anecdote to History |location=Dhaka |publisher=Dibyaprakash |isbn=978-984-483-245-9 |quote=Mahasthan is the earliest urban archaeological site so far discovered in the present territory of ... Bangladesh}}</ref><ref name = "Brochure">Brochure: ''Mahasthan – the earliest city-site of Bangladesh'', published by the Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, 2003</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Majumdar |first=R. C. |author-link=R. C. Majumdar |year=1971 |title=History of Ancient Bengal |location=Calcutta |publisher=G. Bhardwaj & Co. |pages=5, 13 |oclc=961157849}}</ref> A [[limestone]] slab bearing six lines in [[Prakrit]] in [[Brahmi script]] recording a land grant, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century [[Common Era|BCE]].<ref name="SH"/><ref>Hossain, Md. Mosharraf, pp. 56–60.</ref> It was an important city under the [[Maurya Empire]]. The fortified area was in use until the 8th century CE.<ref name = "Brochure"/>

==Geography==