Yavanarajya inscription

The Yavanarajya inscription is a Sanskrit text carved on red sandstone in Brahmi script, now housed in the Government Museum of Mathura. It records the construction of a water well and reservoir by a Brahmin merchant family.

The inscription originates from the 1st century BCE, marking a period of active Greek-Indian contact. The recorded date references year 116 of Yavana rule, providing scholars with crucial chronological anchors for understanding this era.

The inscription reveals how Greek traders and local merchants coexisted in ancient India, with the term Yavana marking their presence. It shows that people from different backgrounds worked together on public works like water systems.

The stone is easily accessible in Mathura's museum where it stands alongside many other ancient artifacts. Take time to study the carved text closely, as the details offer insights into the craftsmanship and language of that era.

This inscription is one of the few surviving sources that provides an exact date from the Indo-Greek period. It proves invaluable to historians because very few objects from that era can be so precisely dated.

GPS coordinates: 27.57117,77.59010

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:09