Stone inscription estampages at risk of deterioration at Heritage dept: Historian D Surya Kumar

On a positive note, the conclave acknowledged the language and culture department's initiative to record and inventory the built, natural, and intangible heritage of all villages across the State.

Published: 05th June 2023 08:19 AM | Last Updated: 05th June 2023 08:56 AM | A+A A-

Office of the Archaeological Survey of India. (File Photo |EPS)

HYDERABAD: Historians and archaeologists have expressed serious concerns over the failure of chief excavators in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Department of Heritage, Telangana, to submit excavation reports upon their retirement.

Addressing the history conclave organised by the Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam (KTCB) at Ravindra Bharati, prominent historian D Surya Kumar highlighted the absence of submitted reports or diaries for significant archaeological sites such as Phanigiri, Kondapur, Dhulikatta and others.

"When we ask the department, they say that even if someone retires, someone else can write the report. But there is a difference between the excavator submitting the report and someone else doing that. I’m sorry to say that the Heritage department is presently in a dormant state. Only if they write and submit those reports will they become evidence for historians," he said.

He revealed that the estampages (impression of an inscription made on inked paper) of these stone inscriptions from six of 10 erstwhile districts of Telangana were currently stored in almirahs (cupboards) within the Heritage Department's office, where they were accumulating dust and at risk of deterioration. Surya stressed the need for immediate preservation measures to prevent these inscriptions from crumbling away. "Many archaeologists have spent their entire lives to decipher and record them. If these estampages are lost, we presently don't even know where those stone inscriptions are," he said. Additionally, Surya also highlighted the absence of a catalogue for 160 copper plates in the State Museum, emphasising the need for immediate action in their documentation and preservation.

‘No recruitment since 2010’

Speaking at the event, former deputy director of the Department of Heritage, SS Rangacharyulu, raised alarm over the lack of recruitment in the department since 2010, adding to the concerns regarding the state of preservation and research in the field.On a positive note, the conclave acknowledged the language and culture department's initiative to record and inventory the built, natural, and intangible heritage of all villages across the State.

Later, Professor Aloka Parasher-Sen, an eminent author and professor emerita in the Department of Sanskrit Studies at the University of Hyderabad, emphasised the need for historians to focus on the history of chieftains in Telangana, starting from early history to the medieval and later periods. She stressed the importance of exploring the stories of local communities and their emergence as chieftains, which have received limited attention in the existing literature.

What is an estampage?

According to journal Science Direct, estampage or stamping is a term that is commonly used in epigraphy in order to get an exact copy of an inscription. An estampage is typically derived by applying wetpaper onto the rock face, over which any ink material is wiped.