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Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c7.s4: § 4. Ornaments to MSS.

Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c7.s4

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§ 4. Ornaments to MSS.

c7.s4.1

The oldest ᴍss. on palm-leaves contain merely the text, and that continuous from the beginning to the end; even the end of a section being marked by a | only. After the 15th century this awkward custom was generally given up, and the divisions of a text plainly marked by ornamental flourishes which are various forms of the word ‘Çrī’. About the same period were written the earliest examples of ᴍss. with diagrams or illustrative pictures¹. The later inscriptions have commonly at the commencement very rude representations of sacred emblems, *e. g.* the trident and drum of Çiva¹); the conch of Vishṇu; the sun and moon; the liṅga with a worshipper etc.²); the Jains put an elephant.

c7.s4.2

¹ See an example in Hunter's "Orissa" i., p. 168. The Kārkal MS. of the 'Trilokasāra' is the best I have seen.

c7.s4.3

¹ *Cfr.* Ellis “On Mirasi Right”, p. 67.

c7.s4.4

² See *Indian Antiquary*, vol. v. plate opp. p. 362.

Cites (1)