<資料・研究ノート>Ta Prohm 碑文にみられる数値について : カンボジア碑文考(1)

Abstract

The inscription (K273) is written on the four faces of a stele and has 290 lines. Comprising 145 verses in Sanskrit, this inscription is one of the longest hitherto known to us. The contents deal with various topics. Among these manifold aspects of this inscription, a noticeable feature is the numerals, i. e. v. 51 gives the total quantity of rice consumed each year by the people related to this temple, then vv. 53-61 describe the articles of food levied from farmers and traders, and the amount. In this paper, Indian units of weights and measures are applied by way of experiment to calculate the numerals in this inscription, because the Khmer Kingdom in Cambodia was from the beginning wholly under the influence of Indian culture, and at the same time, the units used at that time in the Khmer Kingdom are still unknown. Though only an experiment, the result would probably not be far off the mark.