Indian Palaeography c14.12

c14.12

head-mark shown by a single line, as we see in the Mathura inscriptions, in due course is thickened (Fig. 8. I*c*) by the habit of repeating the lines two or three times. This thick head-mark is the characteristic of the Eastern Malwa style. This tendency further results in turning the thick line into a square head-mark (Fig. 8. I*d*), as is seen in the Malwa group of the early Gupta inscriptions. In these cases the square is solid, but later on we meet with a hollow square head-mark (Fig. 8. I*e*), in the inscriptions of the Vākāṭakas and others. This type was called ‘box-headed’ by the old palaeographers.¹ In the second variety the head-mark develops a notch in the middle (Fig. 8. II*b*), giving place to an angular line which ultimately results in a triangular head-mark (Fig. 8. II*c*), as is seen in the inscriptions from Bijayagadh and Nagarjunikonda. This is achieved by a three-way turning of the pen instead of repeating on the same line for thickness. This is easily understood from an inscribed pottery fragment discovered in the (Kushāṇa) stūpa at Mohenjodaro² (Fig. 8. III), which makes the process clear. Here we have a hollow triangular head-mark. Other good examples are the Shorkot inscription of the year 83³ and the Majhgawan plates of Mahārāja Hastin.⁴ This style was called 'nail-headed' by the old palaeographers.⁵