The Copperplates of Sena Kings: Inscribed Land Grants from Medieval Bengal

This episode of The Hidden History of Bengal turns to a surprising primary source: the copperplate inscriptions of the Sena dynasty. Lucas and Luna explore how these engraved plates, which recorded land grants to Brahmins and temples, offer a direct window into the political, social, and economic life of 12th-century Bengal. They discuss the discovery of the plates in villages and fields, the meticulous script and Sanskrit verses, and the details they reveal about Sena administration, taxation, and caste hierarchy. The conversation touches on the famous Naihati copperplate of Ballalasena, which lists his conquests and his consolidation of Kulinism, and the Madhainagar plate of Lakshmanasena, which mentions the construction of a temple and a tank. Lucas explains how these plates were legal documents, not mere propaganda, and how they help historians reconstruct the boundaries of Sena villages, the types of land (fallow, cultivated, forest), and the officials involved in revenue collection. The episode also addresses the controversy over the authenticity of some plates and the loss of others to looters and the elements. By the end, listeners will understand why these fragile copper sheets are among the most valuable historical sources for pre-Islamic Bengal. #SenaDynasty #CopperplateInscriptions #Ballalasena #Lakshmanasena #MedievalBengal #LandGrants #Kulinism #NaihatiPlate #MadhainagarPlate #BengalHistory #SouthAsianHistory #Epigraphy #Sanskrit #Brahmins #Taxation #Villages #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo