Monuments are non-written archaeological sources of history that provide important information regarding our past heritage. The ruins of old buildings, temples, palaces, stupas, caves, old towns, etc., are monuments. They throw light not only on the development of architecture but also on the social and religious life of the people. Some monuments of India are the Ajanta and Ellora caves and the Qutub Minar.

Manuscripts are written literary sources of history. Script means the form of writing a particular language, and manuscript means script written by hand. These handwritten accounts help us in knowing our past. Many of these manuscripts have been lost or destroyed through the past centuries, but still, historians have succeeded in constructing our past.

Inscriptions are non-written archaeological sources of history. It is a piece of writing carved on a surface or a marking or engraved matter on stones, rocks, copper plates etc., that throw light on the past. The rock edicts of Ashoka, the Sanchi inscriptions, the Allahabad Pillar Inscription, the Iron Pillar Inscription at Mehrauli in Delhi tell us about important events, the personal qualities of the rulers, important dates, specimens of art and the mutual relations of different rulers.

Script means the form of writing a particular language. It is any particular system of writing or the written means of human communication. Manuscript means anything written by hand rather than typed or printed. Both scripts and manuscripts come under literary sources of history.