3894.] W. Ploey — Sohfjanra Copper-Flate. 87 



Line 3, character 9. This letter is slightly damaged, and may he 

 either ^ c, or ■=?: r. 



The last letter in line 1, is plainly ^ k, though of small size, owing, 

 apparently, to want of space. Most of the letters are ahout \ inch in 

 height. 



The language seems to be Pali, but I am unable to translate the 

 document. The initial e in line 2, and the initial a in line 4, certainly 

 make the beginnings of woi^ds. 



The plate was found several years ago during the excavation of the 

 foundations of a house at Sohgaura near Gnrmhl, the seat of a consider- 

 able ancient town in the Gorakhpur district. Gurmhl is about eighteen 

 miles distant from Gorakhpur, a little east of south. 



The genuineness of the plate is beyond question. 



1^0 copper-jilate inscription of neai^ly equal antiquity has ever been 

 found, so far as I am aware, and the discovery now announced is, there- 

 fore, of considerable interest and importance. 



The transliteration of the Soiigatira copper-plate as read by nic is 

 as follows : — 



Note on the. same — By Dr. A. F. Rudolf Hoeunle. 



There are some more letters in this inscription which apj^ear to 

 me doubtful. 



Line 1, letter 7, may be ^ gli ; and letter 13 appears to me rather 

 to be ^ sa. The dut above it is attached to the letter, and may be 

 merely one of the unevennesses of the cast. There are numerous 

 (apparently) meaningless dots on the surfaces of the plate, being the 

 result of the plate having been cast in a sand-mould of imperfect smooth- 

 ness ; such dots, e.g., are seen to the left of lettei's 3, 4, 5, in line 1. The 

 word hei'e intended may be sasane (Skr. (asane). The length of 

 vowels does not seem to be always indicated. 



Line 2, letters 1 and 2 are not quite clear. Letter 2 may be fcf ti, 

 though there are traces of a left-hand tail, scarcely visible in the 

 facsimile plate, which suggest the reading 1% si. Letter 6 is probably 

 only V dha. Letter JO is probably only ^ va; the dot is attached to 

 the letter, and is probably not an anusvara ; but one of the above-noted 

 imperfections of the cast. Letter 13 is not f^ <li, but ^ (hi. Tlie words 

 here are ete dure koth-arjalani (Skr. Jioth-dnjalaui or perhaps Jcoth- 



