Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c5.s2.t1.5

c5.s2.t1.5

The earliest unquestionable inscription as yet known is that of which the alphabet is given in Pl. ii. and which has been published in facsimile in the *Indian Antiquary*¹; the date is about 467 A. D. A later inscription of the same dynasty is also given in the same Journal². Its date is, though not clearly put, as there is an obvious error of the engraver in omitting a letter in the date, beyond doubt. This runs (v. *l.* 8): "ashṭanavatyuttareshu ṭchateshu çakavarsheshv atīteshu". The ṭ in ṭchateshu is clear, and though 'sha(ṭ)' is entirely wanting, yet as 'shaṭ' is the only possible numeral it must be read 698 (=777-8 A. D.) The difference in character between the alphabets of the two inscriptions is so slight that I have not thought it worth while to give both.