APSIG Newsletter [50] - November 2002

Asiatic Society library exhibition

The Asiatic Society in Calcutta has one of the library 'gems' of the subcontinent. During October I viewed a special exhibition of its priceless manuscripts, inscriptions and rare printed books.

The oldest item on exhibition is a 3rd century BC rock edict of Emperor Ashoka in Brahmi script. The inscription, engraved on granite, lists seven Pali books containing the original teachings of Buddha.

On display is also a range of copper plates up to about 50cm in size containing Sanskrit inscriptions. Each plate is pierced by a thick iron ring, which is attached to a bell-shaped seal. The inscriptions tell of the granting of land by the kings and ministers, with the earliest dating from the 1st century AD.

The society's unique collection of over 47 000 manuscripts covers 26 languages on a range of formats. The oldest palm leaf manuscript is a late Gupta text from the 7th century AD. Other treasures include Emperor Shah Jahan's biography with his autograph, a 16th century manuscript relating to the history of Ghenghis Khan and his descendants, and an exquisite illustrated Persian version of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata.

Highlights among the rare books on display are The history of the late revolution of the empire of the Great Mogol 1671; Ramayuna of Valmeeki: in the original Sungskrit; with a prose translation and explanatory notes by William Carey and Joshua Marshman, 1806-1812; the Works of John Locke 8th ed., 1777; and The Birds of India by JC Jorden, 1877.

In a humid and dusty environment, the collections of the Asiatic Society present the full spectrum of preservation challenges. The dedicated staff in the conservation and microfilming departments work in a race against time to preserve the cultural memory of India for the benefit of future generations. The Asiatic Society's Library website address is: http://www.indev.nic.in/asiatic/library/index.htm. Colleagues who are interested in visiting this library, or who want further information are welcome to contact me.

Heather Brown
Manager Preservation, State Library of South Australia
brown.heather@slsa.sa.gov.au

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