Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c6.s5.t2.2

c6.s5.t2.2

The earliest inscriptions found in S. India in which the date is referred to an era have it written at full length in words. After the seventh century the dates are *mostly* expressed by significant words, and after the tenth century this is *always* done. These significant words appear to be a device of the Indian astrologers, as the earliest examples occur in their treatises. The first complete list is that given by Albīrūnī (A. D. 1031); the following is from his list as translated by Woepcke¹ supplemented from Brown's "Cyclic Tables" and inscriptions. As no limits can be placed to a fanciful practice like this, I cannot give this list as complete; it is merely an attempt to make a complete list²).