Why was the decipherment of the Ashokan edicts a turning point for Indian history?

It allowed historians to reconstruct the political and social history of the 3rd century BCE using direct contemporary evidence.

Indian Epigraphy

UPSC Archival Analysis

Q: The first scholar who read Ashokan edicts was-

James Prinsep was the first scholar to read the Ashokan edicts in 1837. He successfully deciphered the Brahmi script, unlocking the history of the Mauryan Empire.

Exam Year

1993

Evidence Source

Link

ID: ART_MIS_1993_29 Ref: Themes in Indian History - Part I