NCERT Class 6 History — Chapter 1: What, where, how and when?

mcqeasy

The famous Ashokan inscription discovered at Kandahar is inscribed on:

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

AStone
BClay tablet
CCopper plate
DBirch bark

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is

Stone

Explanation

Ashokan inscriptions constitute the earliest decipherable epigraphic records in India. These royal orders were primarily engraved on natural rock faces (Rock Edicts) and monolithic stone columns (Pillar Edicts) to ensure durability and public visibility.

Detailed Analysis:

The famous inscription discovered at Kandahar (known as the Shar-i-Kuna inscription) is a Minor Rock Edict.
It is inscribed on a block of limestone (stone).
This inscription is historically significant because it is bilingual, written in Greek and Aramaic, catering to the local populations in the northwestern frontier of the Mauryan Empire.
Copper plates became a common medium for official records, particularly land grants, in later periods (post-Mauryan).
Birch bark was typically used for manuscripts, and clay tablets were characteristic of Mesopotamian or Indus Valley civilizations, not Mauryan royal edicts.

Key Takeaway: The Kandahar Bilingual Inscription is a rock edict carved on stone, utilizing Greek and Aramaic scripts to communicate Ashoka’s Dhamma to the subjects in the northwestern region.

Your note

More from Chapter 1: What, where, how and when?

Consider the following statements regarding the development of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent: 1. The Garo hills to the north-east were one of the areas where agriculture developed. 2. Rice was first grown in the Sulaiman hills. 3. The earliest cities flourished in the Vindhyan region before the Indus valley. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

medium

Arrange the following events in chronological order (from earliest to latest): 1. Development of cities on the banks of the Ganga. 2. Beginning of agriculture in Sulaiman and Kirthar hills. 3. Flourishing of earliest cities on the Indus. 4. Composition of the Rigveda. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

medium

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below: List I | List II A. Sulaiman Hills | 1. First cities (4700 years ago) B. Indus River | 2. Cities about 2500 years ago C. Ganga Valley | 3. Rearing of animals and early crops D. Vindhyas | 4. Agriculture developed

medium

Consider the following statements regarding the shift of urbanization: 1. Urbanization first occurred in the Indus valley. 2. Cities in the Ganga valley developed before those in the Indus valley. 3. The gap between these two phases is less than 500 years. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

hard

With reference to the earliest human settlements in the Narmada valley, which of the following statements best describes the livelihood of the people?

easy

Keep practising Chapter 1: What, where, how and when?

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The correct option is

Stone

Explanation

Detailed Analysis:

The famous inscription discovered at Kandahar (known as the Shar-i-Kuna inscription) is a Minor Rock Edict.
It is inscribed on a block of limestone (stone).
This inscription is historically significant because it is bilingual, written in Greek and Aramaic, catering to the local populations in the northwestern frontier of the Mauryan Empire.
Copper plates became a common medium for official records, particularly land grants, in later periods (post-Mauryan).
Birch bark was typically used for manuscripts, and clay tablets were characteristic of Mesopotamian or Indus Valley civilizations, not Mauryan royal edicts.