Page 8 - Journeys Through Society-7

Temple Archaeology
Brain Shaker
Building temples to their gods and goddesses became
Imagine you are a historian who is reconstructing life under
an important activity among Hindu rulers. Temples, the Mughals. Conduct a research on the Agra Fort and
like the Brihadeeswara Temple at Tanjore and the Sun mention at least five things that you can deduce from the fort
Temple at Konark, are not only architectural marvels, absent from the rule and life of the Mughals.
also enrich knowledge with information about the
cultural and religious history of the region. Paintings
Paintings are another major source of information
Coins
which throw considerable light on the social, religious
Coins give us invaluable
and political life of the people. Different styles of
information about the
miniature paintings also evolved during this period.
policy and economy of a
period. The study of coins is
known as numismatics.

Inscriptions
Coins of the
Inscriptions are writings
medieval period
engraved on solid surfaces
including rocks, metals, pillars stone tablets and other
structures. They give information on the various
aspects of life ranging from administration to the Paintings
political and economic life. The study of inscriptions is
called epigraphy.
AI Fact Technology Literacy
As AI continues to develop, it has the potential to
revolutionise the way archaeologists work, making it
possible to uncover and analyse historical artifacts and
sites more efficiently and accurately than ever before.

Copper plate inscriptions

Revision Notes

• India had been referred to by a number of names in the past, but none of them addressed India in
the present sense of the term.
• In India, the medieval period stretches from the eighth to the eighteenth century CE.
• The sources of information for the study of the medieval period are classified into two categories,
literary and archaeological sources.

• Monuments, artefacts, coins and paintings are a few important archaeological sources.
• Important literary sources include chronicles of rulers and dynasties, biographies and
autobiographies and accounts of foreign travellers.
• Many European travellers visited India during the medieval period and their accounts constitute an
important source material for studying the period.

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Social Studies-7