Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c5.s2.t2.14

c5.s2.t2.14

The inscriptions in question are not dated; the earlier ones (which consist of merely a few words in explanation of the figures on the so-called *rathas*) are in a character very near to the Veṅgi and early Cera, but distinguished from them by a few important variations. The first of these is the use to a considerable extent of secondary forms of ā, e and o separated from the consonant to which they belong and follow in pronunciation²); thus **rā**, **vā**, **çā** and **hā** occur in these words with the ā separated only, and in **kā**, **bhā** and **rā** both united to the consonant and also separate. **To** and **no** occur with the **o** separate. Besides these variations some of the letters, and especially **ç**, show an approach to the Grantha form. These and the two Pallava inscriptions represent the earlier stage of development.