Material: Metal / copper alloy

The Thālner copper plates, which consist of three inscribed copper plates with a ring, were acquired from a resident of Thālner by a blacksmith from Dhule. The plates date to the third year of Hariṣeṇa’s reign and are the only known official charter of the king, who was the last ruler of the Vatsagulma branch of the Vākāṭakas. The plates record the donation of two villages and some land to a group of Brāhmaṇas who were students of Sāmaveda.

This set of 5 copper plates dating to the reign of Pṛithivīṣeṇa II, were discovered in June 1971 in a field during ploughing. The field was owned by Shri Borkar who, at that time, lived in the village. The village, according to V. B. Kolte (1972: 183), is an ancient site with many archaeological remains dating to the Vākāṭaka period. There are also stone circles which date as far back as 3000 years suggesting continued habitation throughout this period. This is one of the only known copper plate charters of Pṛithivīṣeṇa II which is complete. The charter was issued in the king’s 17th year of rule and records the grant of the village Jamalakheṭaka to the Brāhmaṇas Vishṇudatta and Bhavadatta, residents of Pṛithivīpura, from where the charter was issued.