The first written record in the Kannada language is traced to Emperor Ashoka's "Brahmagiri edict" dated 200 BCE. The first example of a full-length Kannada language stone inscription ("shilashaasana") containing Brahmi characters with characteristics attributed to those of protokannada in "Hale Kannada" ("Old Kannada") script can be found in the Halmidi inscription, dated c. 450, indicating that Kannada had become an administrative language by this time. Over 30,000 inscriptions written in the Kannada language have been discovered so far. The Chikkamagaluru inscription of 500 CE is another example. Prior to the Halmidi inscription, there is an abundance of inscriptions containing Kannada words, phrases and sentences, proving its antiquity. Badami cliff "shilashaasana" of Pulakeshin I is an example of a Sanskrit inscription in "Hale Kannada" script.