Kannada inscriptions

About 25,000 inscriptions found in Karnataka belongs to Kannada rulers like Kadambas, Western Ganga Dynasty, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Hoysala and Vijayanagara Empire. Many inscriptions related to Buddhism and Jainism are unearthed. The inscriptions generally found are on stone ("Shilashasana") or copper plates ("Tamarashasana"). The Kannada inscriptions (Old Kannada, Kadamba script) found on historical Hero Stone, coin and temple wall, piller, tablet and rock edict. These Inscription have contributed towards Kannada literature and helped to classify as "Proto Kannada, Pre Old Kannada, Old Kannada, Middle Kannada and New Kannada"Inscriptions" depicts culture, tradition and prosperity of those era. The world wide recognized literature " Ramayana " and " Mahabharata " are transferred through generation by these Inscription Hazara Rama Temple and Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple are the best example.
Earliest Kannada inscriptions.
The first written record in Kannada traced to Ashoka's Brahmagiri edict dating back to around 250 AD, Tagarthi inscription dates back to 350 AD, Nishadi Inscription of 400 AD of Chandragiri hill (Shravanabelagola), Halmidi inscription of 5th century AD and Aihole inscriptions are very important in the history of Kannada and Karnataka. 5th century Tamatekallu inscription of Chitradurga and 500 CE Chikkamagaluru inscription. The earliest known Kannada inscription in Bengaluru region traced to the reign of Sripurusha was discovered in 2018 in Hebbal. There are few Kannada words found in the edicts and inscriptions those are prior to the Christian era in places as far as Egypt.
Ashoka rock edict at Brahmagiri in Chitradurga district is the ancient site of "Ishila". An inscription there contains this most ancient Kannada word.
The earliest recorded word of Kannada is "Isila" occurring in the Brahmagiri rock inscription of 252 BC (similar to many other inscriptions with Kannada words).
A Dr. S. Shettar completed a detailed palaeographic study over 10 years, finding five to six inscriptions that are older than Halmidi inscription (in Poorvada Halegannada dialect). The inscription is a mix of Brahmi, Kannada and Nagari scripts. One of those found at Tagarthi
(within the Gangavadi region in Shimoga district) dates to 350 AD, during the Ganga dynasty.
This study pushed the date push back by at least a century. 
The historian "Suryanath Kamath" also agree with the findings of Dr S. Shettar.
"M. G. Manjunath" an epigraphist Mysore based scholar discovered 400 AD "Gunabhushitana Nishadi inscription" 
of Jainism one of the 271 inscriptions on Chandragiri hill of Shravanabelagola found near Parshwanatha Basadi, which is 50 years older than Halmidi inscription. It is mentioned in the Epigraphia Karnataka. There are Prakrit, Sanskrit and Purvada Halegannada (Old Kannada words. The four lined inscription has six words. The inscription is in "Shatavahana Brahmi and Aadi Ganga script". 
M. Chidananda Murthy also agree that "Gunabhushitana Nishadi Shasana" was a Kannada inscription (in Purvada Halegannada script).
The 5th century AD "Halmidi inscription" 16-line earliest Kannada inscription found at Halmidi in Belur taluk of Hassan district on rectangular sandstone ( 2.5 ft height and 1 ft width) has a Vishnu Chakra on its top. The language of the inscription is in "Poorvada Halegannada" ( Proto-Kannada). Archaeologist M. H. Krishna found the Brahmi script in the inscription. Shifted the inscription to "Archaeological Museum, Mysore" and later to "Government Museum in Bangalore". "Epigraphia Karnataka" has dedicated a chapter to study of the inscription. 
The linguists and writers Govinda Pai, M. Chidananda Murthy, T. V. Venkatachala Sastry, Ram Sri Mugali, R.S. Panchamukhi, D.L. Narasimhachar, and M. M. Kalburgi studied the inscription and published papers. Writers including G. S. Gai, T. A. Gopinatha Rao, T. N. Srikantaiah, Shivarama Aithala, S. Nagaraju, S. Srikanta Sastri, M. Mariyappa Bhatta, M. B. Neginahal, K. V. Ramesh, Devarakondareddy and K. M. Hanumantha Rao have discussed the important issues raised by Halmidi inscription in their books.
Chitradurga district is home for most ancient inscriptions written in "archaic Kannada script". 
As per epigraphist Dr. B. Rajashekharappa the inscriptions known as "Veeragallu" at Tamatakal village written in Kannada script belongs mostly to end of Fifth Century or beginning of Sixth Century, describes the nature and achievements of "Gunamadhura" who ruled "Masikapura" (ancient name of Tamatakal), "he was frivolous, generous and kind person. he was a favourite among women (Despite being of dark complexion), because of his kind nature". In 1903 by the historian late B. L. Rice discovered the inscriptions, Dr. Rajashekharappa found new aspects
Karnataka inscriptions of Kannada dynasties.
The Karnataka inscriptions are mainly categories as mentioned below
Kannada inscriptions found outside Karnataka.
Many Kannada inscriptions found outside Karnataka mainly Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Kannada inscriptions found in Tamil Nadu.
The Kannada inscription of [[Rashtrakuta] king [[Krishna III]] period] (of Tenth century CE) found at Melpadi village in [[Vellore district]] of Tamil Nadu. It is mentioned as the endowment was made in the presence of [[Krishna III]]'s feudatories ([[Ratta dynasty|Rattas]] and Bitti Raja of Melpadi). Krishna III was praised as "Akalavarsha Deva, Prithvi Vallabha, Maha Rajathiraja, Parameshvara, Parama Bhattaraka and Chaleka Nallathan" and it indicats that he was about to accomplish his conquests of Kancheepuram and Thanjavur.
The Kannada inscriptions found at Kanchipuram, Dharmapuri region, Vazhaithottam in Nilgiri District, Jain Palli at Alathur in Avinasi taluk, Coimbatore District and Karamadai copper plate inscription. Avinashi Temple inscription in Coimbatore, Kanchi inscription of Vikramaditya, Sittannavasal inscription, Melpadi inscription of Rastrakuta Krishna III, Madras Kannada Herostone inscription, Kodumbalur inscription of Irukkuvelir Chiefs and Hero-stone inscriptions in Kondaharahalli are the inscriptions in Kannada.
References.
[[Category:Kannada inscriptions| ]]
[[Category:Linguistic history of India]]
[[Category:Historiography of India]]
[[Category:History of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Kannada literature| ]]
[[Category:Literature of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Asian archaeology]]
[[Category:Archaeological artefact types]]
[[Category:Archaeology of India]]
[[Category:Inscriptions by languages]]