earliest epigraphical instances of the use of the nine
symbols, plus the zero, with place value, there {46} is some question.
Colebrooke[158] in 1807 warned against the possibility of forgery in many
of the ancient copper-plate land grants. On this account Fleet, in the
_Indian Antiquary_,[159] discusses at length this phase of the work of the
epigraphists in India, holding that many of these forgeries were made about
the end of the eleventh century. Colebrooke[160] takes a more rational view
of these forgeries than does Kaye, who seems to hold that they tend to
invalidate the whole Indian hypothesis. "But even where that may be
suspected, the historical uses of a monument fabricated so much nearer to
the times to which it assumes to belong, will not be entirely superseded.
The necessity of rendering the forged grant credible would compel a
fabricator to adhere to history, and conform to established notions: and
the tradition, which prevailed in his time, and by which he must be guided,
would probably be so much nearer to the truth, as it was less remote from
the period which it concerned."[161] Buehler[162] gives the copper-plate
Gurjara inscription of Cedi-sa[m.]vat 346 (595 A.D.) as the oldest
epigraphical use of the numerals[163] "in which the symbols correspond to
the alphabet numerals of the period and the place." Vincent A. Smith[164]
quotes a stone inscription of 815 A.D., dated Sa[m.]vat 872. So F. Kielhorn
in the _Epigraphia Indica_[165] gives a Pathari pillar inscription of
Parabala, dated Vikrama-sa[m.]vat 917, which corresponds to 861 A.D., {47}
and refers also to another copper-plate inscription dated Vikrama-sa[m.]vat
813 (756 A.D.). The inscription quoted by V. A. Smith above is that given
by D. R. Bhandarkar,[166] and another is given by the same writer as of
date Saka-sa[m.]vat 715 (798 A.D.), being incised on a pilaster.
Kielhorn[167] also gives two copper-plate inscriptions of the time of
Mahendrapala of Kanauj, Valhab[=i]-sa[m.]vat 574 (893 A.D.) and
Vikrama-sa[m.]vat 956 (899 A.D.). That there should be any inscriptions of
date as early even as 750 A.D., would tend to show that the system was at
least a century older. As will be shown in the further development, it was
more than two centuries after the introduction of the numerals into Europe
that they appeared there upon coins and inscriptions. While Thibaut[168]
does not consider it necessary to quote any specific instances of the use
of the numeral