Copies, transcripts and translations of stone and copperplate inscriptions, Gujarat, India.

Scope and Content

Copies, transcripts and translations of Indian stone and copperplate inscriptions made by George Legrand Jacob. Each inscription is labelled as to its location. These include:

  • Edicts of Ashoka, and other inscriptions, Junagadh, Girnar Hills.
  • Inscription on a copperplate dug up near the Machchhu River, Gujarat.
  • Inscriptions from the "Geernan" Temple.
  • Inscription from a black marble slab in an old well within Mangrol.
  • Inscriptions at the Somnath Temple, Prabhas Patan.
  • Inscriptions from temple at "Billawal".
  • Inscription taken from the [Tulao of Ooua].
  • Inscriptions on copper plate dug at [Neroor] in he Korodal Division of the [Sawunt Waree] State. April 1848 with transcriptions in Balbodhy and translation into English.

These are contained within a bound volume with red leather covering. Please note the frond board has come away from the spine.

Administrative / Biographical History

Major General George Legrand Jacob (24 April 1805-1881) was an army officer in the East India Company. At the age of fifteen he began learning languages under Dr John Borthwick Gilchrist. He became fluent in Hindi, Persian, Marathi and Sanksrit. He was in the Grenadier Regiment Bombay Native Infantry and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1823 and to Major General in 1861. He is perhaps most known for suppressing the Indian Rebellion of 1857, involving a mutiny in the 27th Bombay Native Infantry. He was one of the earliest copiers of the Asoka Inscriptions. In addition to publishing many papers on Indian history, archaeology and topography, he wrote a book titled 'Western India before and during the Mutiny' which was published in 1871. He died in London on 27 January 1881 and was buried in Brockwood Cemetery in Surrey.

Access Information

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Acquisition Information

It is unknown how this volume came to be part of the Society's Collections. It is likely that it could have been given by Legrand Jacob.

Archivist's Note

The material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

Conditions Governing Use

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Custodial History

The inscriptions were recorded by Legrand Jacob.

Related Material

The collections hold Aja'ib al Tabaqat by Muhammad Tahir b. Abul Qasim in a version translated by George Legrand Jacob. The collections also contain two books authored by Jacob. Details can be found here.