Thanjavur: In a bid to digitize more than a lakh of estempages, that is, copies of inscriptions in all languages, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Tamil University and the Epigraphy Branch (Mysore) of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Tiruchi.

The Epigraphy branch of ASI at Mysore has estempages of inscriptions that have been collected since the year 1887. However, only estempages collected till the year 1908 have been published. Now, the Tamil University will be assisting ASI in digitizing the estempages collected from the year 1909.

ASI currently possesses more than a lakh estempages, out of which nearly 65,000 are in Tamil and illuminate the history and culture of the state of Tamil Nadu.

As the original inscriptions might be lost during the course of time, estempages taken from them help in knowing about the inscriptions, and hence are of immense importance and of great use for researchers.