| Kharosthi 𐨑𐨪𐨆𐨮𐨿𐨛𐨁𐨌 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Script type | |
Time period | 4th century BCE – 3rd century CE |
| Direction | Right-to-left script  |
| Languages | |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | |
Sister systems | |
| ISO 15924 | |
| ISO 15924 | Khar (305), Kharoshthi |
| Unicode | |
Unicode alias | Kharoshthi |
| U+10A00–U+10A5F | |
| Part of a series on |
| Numeral systems |
|---|
| List of numeral systems |
Kharosthi script (Gāndhārī: 𐨑𐨪𐨆𐨮𐨿𐨛𐨁𐨌𐨫𐨁𐨤𐨁, romanized: kharoṣṭhī lipi), also known as the Gandhari script (𐨒𐨌𐨣𐨿𐨢𐨌𐨪𐨁𐨌𐨫𐨁𐨤𐨁, gāndhārī lipi),[1] was an ancient Indic script used by various peoples from the north-western outskirts of the Indian subcontinent (present-day Pakistan) to Central Asia via Afghanistan.[2] An abugida, it was introduced by the middle of the 3rd century BCE, possibly during the 4th century BCE,[3] and remained in use until it died out in its homeland around the 3rd century CE.[2]
It was also in use in Bactria, the Kushan Empire, Sogdia, and along the Silk Road. There is some evidence it may have survived until the 7th century in Khotan and Niya, both cities in East Turkestan.
- ^ Leitich, Keith A. (2017). "Kharoṣṭhī Script". Buddhism and Jainism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer Netherlands. pp. 660–662. doi:10.1007/978-94-024-0852-2_238. ISBN 978-94-024-0851-5.
- ^ a b R. D. Banerji (April 1920). "The Kharosthi Alphabet". The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 52 (2): 193–219. doi:10.1017/S0035869X0014794X. JSTOR 25209596. S2CID 162688271.
- ^ Salomon 1998, pp. 11–13.