On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet c7.s1.8

c7.s1.8

No 2. I can only agree to the identification of the Brāhma *ba* with the Semitic *Beth*, which has been asserted on the strength of the Sabaean and Ethiopian forms² by Professor Weber and his successors, with the exception of M. Halévy, who derives it from the dissimilar Greek *Beta*. But I think that it is a development, derived by the Hindus immediately from the old Phoenician and Mesa signs. As the Hindus did not tolerate heavy tops, they opened the triangle and made the central stroke hang down from the end of the angle in the manner shown in the hypothetical form in Col. III.¹ The next result was a rhomboid form (Col. V, a), a few examples of which are found occasionally in various versions of the Edicts, where we have *e. g.* [Figure:] *bo* in *apalibodhāye*, Kālsī Edict V, l. 15. The liking of the [57] Hindus for straight top-lines produced further the square and the oblong *ba*, which latter is the commonest form in Kālsī and the regular one in the Bhaṭṭiprolu inscriptions. It may be noted, that this letter is frequently, though not regularly, made smaller than those with verticals. Regarding the want of the lower line in the derivative *bha* (Col. VI) see below.