What was the name of the ancient Indian script mostly used during the Mauryan…

Concept

A script is a system of written signs used to represent a language. To identify a historical script, distinguish the writing system from the language and match its securely dated inscriptions to the stated period and region.

The Mauryan record is especially anchored by Ashoka’s third-century BCE rock and pillar edicts; most of these inscriptions across the subcontinent use Brahmi, while some northwestern edicts use Kharoshthi.

Application

The question asks for the script mostly used during the Mauryan period. Brahmi was used for the great majority of Ashokan inscriptions across the empire, so it is the best-supported choice among the options.

Contrast

• Kharoshthi was important in the northwestern region and was written from right to left, but its use was geographically narrower.

• Sharada arose much later in the northwestern Indian and Kashmiri manuscript tradition.

• Brahmi is securely associated with the widespread Ashokan inscriptional record of the third century BCE.

• Devanagari developed many centuries after the Mauryan age and belongs to a later stage of the Brahmi-derived script tradition.

Cross-check

The Bairat Edict of Ashoka is a Mauryan inscription in Brahmi, and standard historical accounts note that Ashokan inscriptions outside the northwestern frontier were written in Brahmi. This confirms the period-and-distribution match.

Result

Therefore, the required script is Brahmi.