Khandahar Afghanistan Inscription

(January 14, 2024) The lettering of the runic section in this stone tablet is just too uncertain to translate accurately. The lettering is very corroded. All that is available for decipherment is one low resolution photograph. Adding to that uncertainty is the fact that the letters on the stone have been drawn over with an ink further hiding the original letter designs. While some letters are obvious, too many others can be interpreted in too many different ways.

This inscription was discovered below a 1-metre (3.3 ft) layer of rubble in 1958 during an excavation project around Kandahar and is designated as KAI 279. The edict remains on the mountainside where it was discovered. According to the Italian archaeologist Umberto Scerrato, "the block lies at the eastern base of the little saddle between the two craggy hills below the peak on which the celebrated Cehel Zina of Babur are cut." 

The Kandahar region was first settled by Neolithic farmers at least as early as 5000 BCE (Dupree, 1951). Kandahar has been a frequent target for conquest because of its location on the main trade route linking the Indian subcontinent with the Middle East and Central Asia. It was first called Mundigak and was founded around 3000 BCE. Mundigak served as the provincial capital of Arachosia and was ruled by the Medes followed by the Achaemenids until the arrival of Alexander the Great is 330 BCE.

The name of Kandahar is a corruption of Alexander.

    — João de Barros, 1552 

References

Hobson Jobson Dictionary Archived 7 July 2012 at https://archive.ph/20120707232441/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:390.hobson 

(January 14) Below is a quick Greek translation from Google Translate (which is not bad these days). Compare to the proposed translation by Romila Thapar on the left.

1. ten full [  ] 
2. Piodasis piety [ ]
3. people, and therefore more respectful
4. of the people He has made and always
5. Thou shalt say that they have come to earth - And it falls
6. King of souls and so on
7. People and predators or fishermen
8. Kings fall prey and
9. The States are dying wi-
10. ne by power, and the children of the Fathers
11. and mother and elders present
12. the past and the rest of the
13. And I remain in all these things
14. Who are you going through?

Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandahar_Bilingual_Rock_Inscription