Proto-Sharada-Project

Towards the edition of a new collection of administrative letters and documents from pre-modern South Asia

The Proto-Śāradā Project investigates the emergence and early development of Proto-Śāradā script through the systematic collection, analysis, and digital edition of inscriptions and administrative documents from north-western India.

Project at a glance

Period: early medieval period
Region: north-western India
Focus: Proto-Śāradā script and documentary culture
Methods: epigraphy, palaeography, digital editions
Funding: DFG-SNSF (2024-2027)

Team Würzburg

JProf. Dr. Kathrin Holz

Dr. Camillo Formigatti

Team Lausanne

Prof. Dr. Ingo Strauch

Dr. Simone Voegtle

Antoine Conforti, M.A.

Resources and digital output

Digital collection on heiDICON

The digital collection accompanying this project is available on heidICON:

https://heidicon.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/search?p=593

Indoskript 3.0 – now online

The Proto-Śāradā Project is pleased to announce the release of Indoskript 3.0.

https://www.indoskript.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de

Work in progress

A field research trip to Pakistan is planned to document and contextualize new Proto-Śāradā materials and related inscriptions.
Work on the restoration, documentation, and critical edition of the manuscripts is actively progressing.
An edited volume drawing on the contributions from the DOT panel is currently in preparation.

Insights from the Proto-Śāradā Project

What Is Proto-Śāradā – and Why Does It Matter?

Proto-Sharada designates a transitional script used between the 7th and 11th centuries CE in regions such as Gandhara and Kashmir. This first insight introduces the project’s core questions and explains why this transitional phase is historically significant.

From Fieldwork to Digital Edition

How do Proto-Sharada inscriptions move from the field to a digital research environment? This insight traces the path from material documentation to structured digital analysis.