Revisiting the Bactrian and Gāndhārī Bilingual Inscriptions from Dasht-e Nāwūr

Abstract

Abstract The historically important Kushan trilingual inscriptions of Dasht-e Nāwūr are revisited. The readings and interpretations of the bilingual DN I (Bactrian)— DN IV (Gāndhārī) are presented. Through careful analysis of the photos, paper rubbings and latex moulds of DN I published by Gérard Fussman in 1974, a reading of lines 7–13 is proposed which shows further significant parallels with known Kushan-period Bactrian inscriptions, supplementing the decipherment of lines 1–6 by Nicholas Sims-Williams. Furthermore, a comprehensive reading of the Gāndhārī version DN IV in Kharoṣṭhī script is proposed, which presents a true bilingual with DN I and corroborates our reading of DN I . Based on our reading of the bilingual DN I – DN IV , the inscriptions commemorate the arrival of Vema Taktu to Dasht-e Nāwūr, located in the Ghaznī province of Afghanistan, in Vema’s fifteenth regnal year.