What is the oldest manuscript in existence?

Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarius
The Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarius, 6–7th century This is its oldest manuscript still in existence, one replete with fanciful botanical illustrations, and housed at the Leiden University library in Holland.

What is the oldest evidence of Hinduism?

Prehistory. Hinduism may have roots in Mesolithic prehistoric religion, such as evidenced in the rock paintings of Bhimbetka rock shelters, which are about 10,000 years old (c. 8,000 BCE), as well as neolithic times.

What was the first sacred book of Hinduism?

The primary sacred texts, known as the Vedas, were composed around 1500 B.C. This collection of verses and hymns was written in Sanskrit and contains revelations received by ancient saints and sages. The Vedas are made up of: The Rig Veda.

What is the oldest Hindu manuscript?

The Spitzer Manuscript
The Spitzer Manuscript is the oldest surviving philosophical manuscript in Sanskrit, and possibly the oldest Sanskrit manuscript of any type related to Buddhism and Hinduism discovered so far.

How many Hindu manuscripts are there?

Today, we are tolerating with the remarks like ‘illiterate, uneducated and uncivilized society’, instead we should be proud to owe such stupendous heritage of knowledge system with more than five million ancient manuscripts, making India the largest repository of manuscript wealth in the world.

How did Hinduism rise in India?

Based on this evidence, it seems that when the people from central Asia settled in India, their Vedic beliefs were mingled with the beliefs of indigenous Indians. Thus, it is likely that the Indus Valley tradition and Vedic gods and beliefs combined to form the foundations of Hinduism.

What is the oldest manuscript available in India?

The oldest Manuscript available in India is called Tholkaapiyam (exactly a Tamil grammar book), the manuscript contains also recollects and refers to 3 Tamil Sangams (or Tamil Literature festivals) which was conducted many centuries ago previous to Tholkaapiyam, there is mention of lord Shiva and his consort’s blessing for the literature fest.

What is the oldest Hindu script?

If this is Hindu enough for us, we can consider this manuscript as oldest Hindu script which is dated around 500–300BC

What is the oldest surviving manuscript of Rigveda?

Rigveda was probably not written down until the Gupta period (4th to 6th centuries AD), by which time the Brahmi script had become widespread (the oldest surviving manuscripts date to the Late Middle Ages).The oral tradition still continued into recent times. I cannot find this “oldest surviving manuscript” that it describes. Please help.

What is the oldest version of the Vedas?

For long we had the oldest Vedic manuscript available which was found in Kolkata dated 800 AD, (Yes, the oldest physically available manuscript was from 800 AD, not earlier) and certainly the older versions may have been destroyed from our neighborhood raids.