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The Mystery of Written Sanskrit: How Old is it Really?

Many people are fascinated by ancient languages, and Sanskrit, with its rich history and influence on many modern languages, is no exception. It’s often cited as one of the oldest languages in the world, but how old is written Sanskrit, really? The answer may surprise you, because the history of spoken Sanskrit and written Sanskrit are not the same thing. Spoken Sanskrit: Ancient Origins The oldest known example of the Sanskrit language is the Rig Veda, a collection of ancient Hindu hymns. Scholars have concluded that these hymns were composed around 1500 BCE, which is approximately 3,500 years ago. However, it is crucial to understand that the Rig Veda was originally passed down orally. There were no written versions of the Rig Veda at this time. The language spoken at that time is known as Vedic Sanskrit. This means that while the spoken form of Sanskrit is indeed very old, the written form is a different story. The spoken language predates the existence of written Sanskrit. Written ...