Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c11.27

c11.27

At present it does not appear necessary to distinguish between the varieties of the Kawi alphabet, except so far as the Java and Sumatra types are concerned: the last are slightly archaic as compared with the former1). Considering the number of flourishing kingdoms that existed in the Island of Java before the Muhammadan invasion, and the great extent of the Island, it seems most probable that several types of the Kawi alphabet will be discovered to have been in use in different parts2), but, at present, the materials necessary to decide this question are imperfect. The places where several inscriptions were discovered is, unfortunately, unknown, and most of those in existence are from the east part of the Island. But with the great progress of archæological and scientific research in Netherland's India, this blank will not long remain.