On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c7.7

c7.7

Among the signs in column V and VI a few are from Sānchi, viz. the lingual *ḷa*, the fifth of Col. VI opposite the fourth Semitic character, and the first of Col. V opposite the sixteenth Semitic character. Further, in Col. VI the fourth sign opposite the sixth Semitic character, *Ū*, comes from Bharahut, the first opposite No 15 from the Eraṇ coin the third opposite the fifteenth Semitic character in Col. VI has been taken from the Ghasundi slab, and two signs of the two rows in the same Col. opposite the sixteenth character, viz. the second in the first row, *AI*, and the last in the second row, *Ī*, belong to the Hathigumphā and Nānāghāt inscriptions. All the remaining letters have been drawn according to Dr. Burgess' facsimiles of the Rock and Pillar Edicts,¹ and of the Bhaṭṭiprolu inscriptions.