Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c5.14

c5.14

The Cave character chiefly differs from that of the Açoka inscriptions in a preference of angular forms (*e. g.* in **m**) where the former has curves. Typical letters are **k** (in the Cave character, the bottom stroke is lengthened turned up to the left); **j** which is made very square; **l**, **v**, which are angular compared with the rounded Açoka forms; **r** is also longer than in the Açoka character. This character was in use over a very large extent of country and accordingly presents slight varieties in form as regards the letters, more in respect of the numerals. If it be necessary to mark this fact, the variations might be (as Dr. Bühler has suggested) distinguished as the Eastern and Western Cave characters. It is not, however, possible at present to utilize fully this distinction in respect of the derivation of the S. Indian alphabets, as the earliest documents in S. India are not of an earlier date than the fourth century A. D., and respecting the course of development during several centuries we have, thus, no information. It was, so much may be safely said, very trifling and there is reason to believe that the S. Indian alphabets are derived from the Western Cave character.