On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c7.s1.20

c7.s1.20

No 12. For the identity of the Brāhma *la* (Col. V, a) with the Semitic *Lamed* (Cols. I and II), which has been recognised by Professor Weber and accepted by Dr. Deecke and M. Halévy, the *la* of the Eraṇ coin (Col. IV), the Bhaṭṭiprolu *la* (Col. V, b) and the Bhaṭṭiprolu *ḷ* (Col. VI) furnish new illustrations. The most ancient survival is found in the last mentioned character, which, if the little bar denoting the lingualisation is removed, almost exactly represents the Semitic sign. Next comes the letter of the Eraṇ coin, which has preserved the original direction of the *Lamed*, but shows on the right the little bar, no doubt intended to mark the end of the line. This bar is wanting in the Bhaṭṭiprolu *l*, which however has been turned from the right to the left and has developed a curious long tail, hanging down from the top of the main line. Originally this appendage no doubt was a flourish, marking the end of the vertical.