Crosses, Christian and otherwise: their form and meaning

Book Details

• Publisher: ADITYA PRAKASHAN Indological Publishers & Booksellers

• Language: English

• Edition: New Delhi

• Year: 2014

• ISBN: 9788124607374 / 8124607370

• Subject: Religion

About the Book
This scholarly volume meticulously documents over 500 crosses, including around 300 ecclesiastical, heraldic, or mundane crosses, most introduced before the twentieth century, and presents Odisha’s epigraphical wealth with precision. Drawing upon more than 400 copper-plate grants and 1,000 stone inscriptions dating from the fourth to the sixteenth century CE, the author classifies and analyzes published and unpublished copper-plate inscriptions, including stray plates, spurious charters, and palimpsests. Each inscription is carefully examined to provide detailed information on rulers, beneficiaries, religious affiliations, occasions and purposes of grants, eras, astronomical data, officials present, rights and privileges, land measures, currency systems, administrative and revenue terms, topography, and the evolution of language and scripts.

The book also explores the techniques used in preparing copper plates for royal deeds, including flattening metal sheets, positioning seals, and interpreting symbols and legends. Written mostly in Sanskrit, these inscriptions illuminate systems of numeration, tax calculations, and land measurements, offering a comprehensive view of Odisha’s historical administration and culture. This innovative and authoritative work is an indispensable resource for students, historians, and researchers interested in the history, culture, and religion of Odisha.