Sources of History and their Conservation
Grandmother’s old letter, an old copper vessel and a folk verse of the village all tell history. But if not looked after they are lost in a few years.
Collecting sources of history, preparing their records and indexes, cleaning and preserving them and arranging exhibitions can be done only by trained and qualified persons. Sources are of three kinds: oral, written and material.
Key idea 1 : Oral sources — Collecting and compiling folk songs and folk tales; classifying, analysing and interpreting the collected material; and publishing the research results are the tasks here. For this one needs knowledge of sociology, anthropology, social psychology, mythology and linguistics, library science and information technology, history and research method, and writing research reports and articles.
Key idea 2 : Written sources — Coins and copper plates with inscriptions, official records, personal letters, diaries, historical and old books, manuscripts, pictures and photographs are collected. For preserving them mechanical and chemical cleaning is done, historical value is ascertained, selected documents are exhibited and edited documents and research reports are published. For this one needs knowledge of Brahmi, Modi and Persian scripts; of society, traditions, literature, dynasties and administration of earlier times; schools and styles of painting and sculpture; kinds of paper, ink and colours; and properties of stones and metals used for inscriptions.
Key idea 3 : Material sources — Remains are collected, classified by historical period and type and indexed; cleaning and preservation processes are done; selected objects or their replicas are exhibited; fossils of plants and animals are classified and indexed; and articles are published. For this one needs knowledge of archaeological method, history of ancient civilisations, regional sources and chemical properties of stone, minerals, metals and clay, equipment and chemicals for cleaning, and skill of making replicas.
- Easy : Collecting folk songs — which source? — Oral.
- Medium : Copper plate — which source? — Written.
- Exam-type : Fossil — which source? — Material.
In the figure: Three kinds of sources of history.
Oral-Written-Material.
Conservation is not just keeping in a cupboard; cleaning, records and trained persons are needed.
Memory clue: Collect, record, clean, display, publish. Memory clue: "Co-Re-Cl-Di-Pu".
Spot the difference
| Source | Example | Training |
|---|---|---|
| Oral | Folk songs | Sociology, linguistics |
| Written | Copper plates, manuscripts | Knowledge of scripts |
| Material | Remains, fossils | Archaeological method |
Practice questions
- 1How many kinds of sources of history?
- 2How are oral sources compiled?
- 3Which processes are done to preserve written sources?
- 4What training is needed for written sources?
- 5What training is needed for material sources?
- 6Why can only trained persons do these tasks?
- 7Why are replicas kept in exhibitions?
- 8Write how you would record and preserve an old item at home.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Three: oral, written, material.
- 2Collect folk songs and tales, classify and analyse.
- 3Mechanical and chemical cleaning.
- 4Scripts, society, painting styles, paper-ink, stone-metal.
- 5Archaeological method, material sources, equipment, replica skill.
- 6Wrong handling can destroy sources.
- 7Original stays safe and people can see.
- 8Student writes item, record and safe-keeping methods.
Famous Museums
On a school trip we see statues, old coins and tools in a museum. We can see them because they were kept safe at one place.
Museums were created to organise and manage antiquities collected by royal and elite families of medieval Europe.
Key idea 1 : Famous museums of the world — Louvre (Paris, France): established in the 18th century; displayed objects collected by the royal family, including Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’. This painter worked under the patronage of Francis I, king of France. The collection grew greatly through objects Napoleon Bonaparte brought from his conquests; today more than 3.8 lakh objects. British Museum (London): 18th century; naturalist Sir Hans Sloane handed about 71 thousand objects to King George II; later objects brought from colonies were added; today about 80 lakh objects. National Museum of Natural History, USA: managed by the Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846, more than 12 crore specimens.
Key idea 2 : Museums in India — Indian Museum, Kolkata (1814), founded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal, is the first in India. Government Museum, Chennai (1851) is second. National Museum, Delhi in 1949. Others: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya (Mumbai), Salarjung (Hyderabad), Calico Museum of Textiles (Ahmedabad). Big museums have their own archives and libraries; some are affiliated to universities and offer courses in Museology: National Museum (Delhi), Maharaja Sayajirao University (Vadodara), Kolkata University, Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi), Aligarh Muslim University, Jiwaji University (Gwalior).
Key idea 3 : Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya — In 1904 some influential residents of Mumbai decided to establish a museum to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales to India. In November 1905 the foundation of the building was laid; the name was to be ‘Prince of Wales Museum of Western India’; in 1998 it was renamed ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya’. The building is in Indo-Gothic style and is a Grade I heritage building in Mumbai. It has about 50 thousand antiquities in three sections: Art, Archaeology and Natural History.
- Easy : Mona Lisa is in which museum? — Louvre.
- Medium : First museum of India? — Indian Museum, Kolkata.
- Exam-type : Grade I heritage building? — Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya.
In the figure: Founding of some museums.
British Museum: established by an Act of Parliament on 7 June 1753 after Sir Hans Sloane’s death; opened to the public on 15 January 1759; Sloane’s collection had about 71,000 objects and his heirs were paid 20,000 pounds. The Louvre opened as a public museum in 1793. (As per several sources; check with the book)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya: the textbook says decision in 1904 and foundation in November 1905; the museum’s own website says prominent Mumbai citizens met at the Town Hall on 14 August 1905 and the foundation stone was laid on 11 November 1905; the building opened on 10 January 1922. The year of renaming differs in sources (mostly 1998). (Check with the book)
1814-46-51-49.
The first museum of India is not Chennai’s; first is Kolkata’s, second is Chennai’s.
Memory clue: First Kolkata, second Chennai, national Delhi. Memory clue: "Ko-Che-Di".
Spot the difference
| Museum | Place | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Louvre | Paris | Mona Lisa painting |
| British Museum | London | Hans Sloane’s collection |
| Indian Museum | Kolkata | First in India |
Practice questions
- 1Why were museums created?
- 2Write about the Louvre Museum.
- 3How did the British Museum begin?
- 4Write names and years of the first two museums of India.
- 5Name two institutions that teach museology.
- 6Write a note on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya.
- 7Why do large museums have a library and an archive?
- 8Visit a museum near you and note five objects.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1To organise and manage antiquities collected by royal and elite families.
- 2Paris; Mona Lisa; objects brought by Napoleon; more than 3.8 lakh objects.
- 3Hans Sloane gave about 71 thousand objects to the king.
- 4Indian Museum, Kolkata (1814); Government Museum, Chennai (1851).
- 5Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara; Banaras Hindu University.
- 6Indo-Gothic building; Grade I heritage; 50 thousand objects; 3 sections.
- 7To store unexhibited historical items and give to researchers.
- 8Student writes names, period and information.
Libraries and Archives
In the school library a reader quickly gets the needed book because books are arranged in order. A place that keeps old documents is an archive.
A library is a storehouse of knowledge and information: collecting books, arranging in order, preserving and disseminating information. An archive preserves important documents in original condition.
Key idea 1 : Library management — Library science is closely related to management science, information technology and the field of education. Tasks: collecting books, arranging them systematically, conservation, preservation and dissemination of information; many of these are done with computerised systems. Making a book available to a reader as per need is the most important aspect. Earliest libraries of the world are held to be the Royal Library of Ashurbanipal, the Assyrian emperor in Mesopotamia (7th century BCE), the library at Takshashila University and the library in Alexandria, Egypt (4th century BCE).
Key idea 2 : Libraries in India — Saraswati Mahal Library (Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu) was built in the 16th-17th century during the Nayak dynasty; in 1675 Vyankojiraje Bhosale conquered Thanjavur and established independent rule; he and his successors kept expanding the library, and Sarfojiraje Bhosale contributed most. In 1918 it was named ‘Thanjavur Maharaja Sarfoji’s Saraswati Mahal Library’. Others: National Library (Kolkata), Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (Delhi), State Central Library (Hyderabad), Library of the Asiatic Society and David Sassoon Library (Mumbai).
Key idea 3 : Archives — Technically archive management is like library management: preserving important documents in original condition, preparing indexes and creating an accurate system of retrieving documents are the important tasks; documents from archives are held very reliable. The first official archive of India, the ‘Imperial Record Department’, was established in 1891 in Kolkata; shifted to Delhi in 1911. In 1998 President K. R. Narayanan opened it to the public. Documents are kept chronologically from 1748; records in English, Arabic, Hindi, Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu and Modi script; four categories: Public records, Oriental Studies, Manuscripts, Private Records. Maharashtra government’s archives have branches at Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Aurangabad and Nagpur; the Pune branch has about 5 crore Modi documents related to Maratha history, called ‘Peshwa Daftar’.
- Easy : Most important part of library management? — Giving the needed book to the reader in time.
- Medium : Peshwa Daftar is in which script? — Modi.
- Exam-type : First official archive of India? — Imperial Record Department.
In the figure: Work of a library.
Archives of India (now National Archives): the Imperial Record Department began on 11 March 1891 in Kolkata. The textbook says ‘shifted to Delhi in 1911’; as per sources the capital moved in 1911, the department’s new building was done in 1926 and records were moved gradually between 1926 and 1937. (As per several sources; check with the book)
Saraswati Mahal Library: started by the Nayak kings (about 1535 to 1675) as a palace library; grew under Maratha rule from 1675; Serfoji II (1798-1832) enriched it with manuscripts, maps, coins and artworks. Modi manuscripts are an important local source of the history of Thanjavur’s Maratha kingdom. (As per several sources; check with the book)
Collect-Arrange-Index-Give.
An archive is not a library; it keeps original documents which are held reliable.
Memory clue: Library = books; archive = documents. Memory clue: "Book-library, paper-archive".
Spot the difference
| Point | Library | Archive |
|---|---|---|
| What is kept | Books | Important documents |
| Indian example | Saraswati Mahal, Thanjavur | Imperial Record Department |
| Main task | Giving book to reader | Index and quick retrieval |
Practice questions
- 1Why is library management important?
- 2What tasks do libraries perform?
- 3Name three ancient libraries of the world.
- 4Write a note on Saraswati Mahal Library.
- 5Which tasks are important in archives management?
- 6Write about the first official archive of India.
- 7What is Peshwa Daftar?
- 8Visit a library near you and write about its functioning.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1To give the reader the needed book in time.
- 2Collect, arrange, preserve, disseminate.
- 3Ashurbanipal, Takshashila, Alexandria.
- 4Thanjavur; Nayak; Bhosale; Sarfoji; named in 1918.
- 5Preserve in original condition, prepare index, accurate retrieval system.
- 6Imperial Record Department, 1891, Kolkata; opened to public in 1998.
- 7About 5 crore Modi documents in Pune.
- 8Student writes arrangement, membership and rules.
Encyclopaedias
When we need basic information on a topic we open a dictionary or an encyclopaedia. Because information is arranged in order it is found quickly.
A systematic compilation of information or knowledge on various topics is an encyclopaedia. Organising available knowledge and making it accessible is the main objective.
Key idea 1 : Benefits and types — Encyclopaedias make knowledge accessible to readers, satisfy curiosity, give basic information on any topic and motivate wider reading, and make information easy for scholars and show research areas not yet attended to. Criteria: accuracy, meticulousness, objectivity, standardised format of presentation and updated information. They are arranged alphabetically or by topic; an index at the end is convenient. Four types: (1) Dictionaries (2) Comprehensive encyclopaedia (Vishwakosh) (3) Encyclopaedic literature (4) Indexes.
Key idea 2 : Examples of the four types — Dictionaries: words of a language in order with meanings, synonyms and etymology. Comprehensive encyclopaedia: (a) all subjects, for example Encyclopaedia Britannica, Maharashtriya Dnyankosh, Marathi Vishvakosh; (b) detailed on one chosen subject, for example Bharatiya Samskruti Kosh, Vyayam Dnyankosh. Encyclopaedic literature: for example Maharashtra Jeevan (Vol. I-II), Shahar Pune (Vol. I-II), Yearbook. Indexes: alphabetical lists of individuals, subjects, places, keywords and reference books; for example the index of Marathi periodicals prepared by S. G. Date.
Key idea 3 : Encyclopaedia and history — History-related encyclopaedias: Raghunath Bhaskar Godbole’s ‘Bharatvarshiya Prachin Aitihasik Kosh’ (1876) is the earliest; Shridhar Vyankatesh Ketkar’s ‘Maharashtriya Dnyankosh’ (23 volumes); Siddheshwarshastri Chitrav’s ‘Bharatvarshiya Charitrakosh’ (ancient 1932, medieval 1937, modern 1946) and ‘Prachin Bharatiya Sthalakosh’ (1969); the Mahanubhav ‘Sthanapothi’ (14th century, Muni Vyas) about places visited by Chakradhar Swami; Mahadevshastri Joshi’s ‘Bharatiya Samskruti Kosh’ (10 volumes); Marathi Vishwakosh (initiated by Yashwantrao Chavan, under guidance of Tarkteerth Laxmanshastri Joshi). Encyclopaedias can be a medium of strengthening national identity and give history teachers and researchers opportunities in publishing.
- Easy : Where do we find meanings of words? — Dictionary.
- Medium : Encyclopaedia of all subjects? — Vishwakosh.
- Exam-type : Alphabetical list at end of a book? — Index.
In the figure: Four types of kosh.
What happened before the Marathi Vishwakosh project began? Marathi’s first encyclopaedia, the 23-volume ‘Maharashtriya Dnyankosh’, was prepared by Dr S. V. Ketkar and his team between 1916 and 1928.
What happened after the Marathi Vishwakosh project began? The state’s Marathi Vishwakosh project began in 1960 with Tarkateertha Laxmanshastri Joshi as its first chairman. The first volumes appeared in 1976, and from 2011 the volumes were put online.
Dictionary-Vishwakosh-Encyclopaedic-Index.
Vishwakosh and dictionary are not the same; dictionary gives meanings of words, Vishwakosh gives information on topics.
Memory clue: Kosh = organised knowledge. Memory clue: "Word, world, like-kosh, list".
Spot the difference
| Type | What it has | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | Meanings, synonyms | Language dictionaries |
| Vishwakosh | Information on topics | Maharashtriya Dnyankosh |
| Index | Alphabetical list | Index of periodicals |
Practice questions
- 1What is an encyclopaedia?
- 2Write the benefits of encyclopaedias.
- 3What are the criteria of an encyclopaedia?
- 4State the four types with examples.
- 5What is a Sthalakosh? Give example.
- 6How is a terminology kosh useful to teachers?
- 7Who initiated the Marathi Vishwakosh?
- 8Write how you would structure an encyclopaedia on your favourite subject.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Systematic compilation of information on various topics.
- 2Accessible knowledge, satisfies curiosity, motivates reading, shows research areas.
- 3Accuracy, meticulousness, objectivity, standard format, updated information.
- 4Dictionary, Vishwakosh, encyclopaedic literature, index.
- 5Kosh giving information on places; ‘Prachin Bharatiya Sthalakosh’.
- 6It explains terms of history (colonialism, globalisation).
- 7Yashwantrao Chavan; guidance by Tarkteerth Laxmanshastri Joshi.
- 8Mention topics, writers, order and index.