Kharoṣṭhī (Khar)

The Kharoṣṭhī script (Kharosthi: 𐨑𐨪𐨆𐨮𐨿𐨛𐨁𐨌, also spelled Kharoshthi), also known as the Gāndhārī script, was an ancient Indic script used by various peoples from the north-western outskirts of the Indian subcontinent (present-day Pakistan) to Central Asia via Afghanistan. An abugida, it was introduced at least by the middle of the 3rd century BCE, possibly during the 4th century BCE, and remained in use until it died out in its homeland around the 3rd century CE.

It was also in use in Bactria, the Kushan Empire, Sogdia, and along the Silk Road. There is some evidence it may have survived until the 7th century in Khotan and Niya, both cities in East Turkestan.

Kharoṣṭhī är en abugida som användes i Gandhara i nordvästra delen av indiska halvön för att skriva gāndhārī och sanskrit. Den uppstod i mitten av 300-talet f.Kr., troligtvis baserad på den arameiska skriften, och dog ut i sitt hemland under 200-talet e.Kr. På andra håll fortsatte skriften att användas fram till 600-talet.

Skriften uppstod ungefär samtidigt med brāhmī men till skillnad från denna, som gav upphov till en lång rad olika skriftspråk, har kharoṣṭhī inga efterföljare.