History Notes Chapter 9 Heritage Management Class 10 Maharashtra Board

9.1 Sources of History, Their Conservation and Preservation

Sources of History: History is studied through oral, written, and material sources preserved by historians.

Role of Institutes: Libraries, museums, and archives conserve and manage these sources, exhibiting some and storing others for research.

Conservation Process: Collecting, cleaning, indexing, and exhibiting sources requires careful handling by trained professionals.

Types of Sources and Their Management:

1. Oral Sources:
   • • Includes folk songs, folk tales, and oral traditions.
     • Tasks: Collecting, classifying, analyzing, and publishing research.
     • Training Needed: Sociology, anthropology, mythology, linguistics, library science, history, and research writing.
2. Written Sources:
   • • Includes coins, copper plates, manuscripts, diaries, official records, and photographs.
     • Tasks: Cleaning with mechanical/chemical processes, assessing historical value, exhibiting, and publishing edited documents.
     • Training Needed: Knowledge of scripts (Brahmi, Modi, Persian), historical societies, art styles, paper/ink properties, preservation chemicals, and exhibition management.
3. Material Sources:
   • • Includes artefacts, fossils, and remains of plants/animals.
     • Tasks: Classifying, cleaning, indexing, exhibiting replicas, and publishing research.
     • Training Needed: Archaeology, knowledge of stones/metals, art styles, preservation chemicals, and replica-making skills.

9.2 Some Famous Museums

Purpose of Museums: Museums collect, preserve, and display antiquities, originally started by royal and elite families in medieval Europe.

Famous Museums:

Louvre Museum, France:

• Established in the 18th century in Paris.
• Houses over 3.8 lakh artefacts, including the ‘Mona Lisa’ by Leonardo da Vinci.
• Expanded with Napoleon’s conquests, showcasing global art and history.

British Museum, England:

• Established in the 18th century in London.
• Started with 71,000 objects donated by Sir Hans Sloan (books, plants, pictures).
• Now has 80 lakh objects, including items from British colonies.

National Museum of Natural History, USA:

• Managed by Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846.
• Contains over 12 crore fossils, minerals, rocks, and human artefacts.

Museums in India:

• Indian Museum, Kolkata: First museum in India, established in 1814 by Asiatic Society of Bengal.
• Government Museum, Chennai: Second museum, established in 1851.
• National Museum, Delhi: Established in 1949, a major cultural hub.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalay, Mumbai:
  • Built in 1905 as Prince of Wales Museum, renamed in 1998.
  • Indo-Gothic style, Grade I heritage building, with 50,000 antiquities (arts, archaeology, natural history).

Museology Education: Museums like National Museum, Delhi, and universities (e.g., Maharaj Sayajirao University, Kolkata University) offer courses in museology.

9.3 Libraries and Archives

Libraries:

• Storehouses of knowledge, managing books for readers and researchers.
• Tasks: Collecting, arranging, preserving books, and providing access using computer systems.

Famous Libraries:

• • Royal Library of Ashurbanipal: 7th century B.C.E., Mesopotamia.
  • Takshashila University Library: 5th century B.C.E. to 5th century C.E., India.
  • Alexandria Library: 4th century B.C.E., Egypt.
  • Saraswati Mahal Granthalay, Thanjavur: Built in 16th-17th century, expanded by Bhosale rulers, renamed after Sarfojiraje Bhosale in 1918.
  • Others: National Library (Kolkata), Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (Delhi), David Sassoon Library (Mumbai).

Archives:

• Preserve important documents (e.g., records, manuscripts) in their original condition.
• Tasks: Indexing, retrieval systems, and ensuring document reliability using technology.

Key Archives in India:

• • Imperial Record Department: Established in 1891 in Kolkata, shifted to Delhi in 1911, opened to public in 1998.
  • Contains records from 1748 in English, Hindi, Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu, and Modi script.
  • Categories: Public records, Oriental Studies, Manuscripts, Private Records.
  • Maharashtra State Archives: Branches in Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Nagpur; Pune’s ‘Peshwa Daftar’ has 5 crore Modi documents.

Similarity: Both libraries and archives use computer systems for management, but libraries focus on books, while archives focus on documents.

9.4 Encyclopaedias

Definition: Encyclopaedias are systematic compilations of knowledge, arranged alphabetically or by topics for easy access.

Benefits:

• Make vast knowledge accessible, satisfying curiosity.
• Provide fundamental information, motivating deeper reading.
• Highlight research gaps and reflect a society’s cultural maturity.

Features:

• Designed with accuracy, objectivity, and updated information.
• Edited by experts or committees, often requiring revised editions.
• Include indexes for quick reference.

Types of Encyclopaedias:

1. Dictionaries: List words, meanings, synonyms, and etymology (e.g., comprehensive or etymological dictionaries).
2. Comprehensive Encyclopaedia (Vishwakosh): Covers all subjects (e.g., Encyclopaedia Britannica, Marathi Vishwakosh) or one subject (e.g., Vyayam Dnyankosh).
3. Encyclopaedic Literature: Scholarly articles on specific subjects (e.g., Maharashtra Jeevan, Manorama Yearbook).
4. Indexes: Alphabetical lists of topics or keywords, often at the end of books.

Encyclopaedias and History:

• Emphasize objectivity, influenced by national policies and cultural values.
• Strengthen national identity (e.g., Bharatiya Samskruti Kosh).
• Reflect society’s intellectual achievements.

Notable Encyclopaedias:

• Early Works: Pliny’s ‘Natural History’ (1st century A.D.), Diderot’s ‘Encyclopaedia’ (18th century), Encyclopaedia Britannica (1767).
• Indian Tradition: Nighantu, Shabdakosh, Rajavyavaharkosh (Shivaji’s reign).

History-Related:

• • Bharatvarshiya Prachin Aitihasik Kosh (1876) by Raghunath Bhaskar Godbole: Details ancient Indian individuals and places.
  • Maharashtriya Dnyankosh (23 volumes) by Shridhar Vyankatesh Ketkar: Expands Marathi intellectual sphere.
  • Bharatvarshiya Charitrakosh (3 volumes) by Siddheshwarshastri Chitrav: Covers ancient, medieval, and modern biographies.

Sthalakosh: Geographic encyclopaedias like ‘Sthanapothi’ (14th century, Mahanubhav sect) and ‘Prachin Bharatiya Sthalakosh’ (1969).

Vishwakosh: Marathi Vishwakosh, initiated by Yashwantrao Chavhan, covers all subjects.

Bharatiya Samskruti Kosh: 10 volumes by Mahadevshastri Joshi on Indian culture.

Samdnya Kosh: Explains historical terms like colonialism, useful for teachers.

Career Opportunities: Historians can work in encyclopaedia publication, museology, and archives, contributing to knowledge dissemination.