Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c5.s2.t1.3

c5.s2.t1.3

The Cera alphabet changed but little during a considerable time; the earliest and latest authentic inscriptions which are in existence, and which belong to a period of about four centuries, show very few innovations. Two varieties of this character must be distinguished; the first, which was in use in that part of the Cera country which constitutes the modern Mysore and Coorg up to the final end of the kingdom which was conquered by the Coḷas about 877 A. D., and which then fell into disuse being soon supplanted by the Western Cālukya and transitional characters; and the second, which was used in Toṇḍaināḍu (the neighbourhood of Madras) which was a feudatory of the Cera kingdom till about the end of the seventh century when it fell under the Coḷas. This last alphabet then became under the new dynasty the medium of introducing brahmanical culture to the Tamiḷ country².