Indian Palaeography c14.s1: The Indus Zone
Indian Palaeography c14.s1
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The Indus Zone
c14.s1.1
The Kharoshṭhī script was generally used in this region, and Brāhmī writing is found only exceptionally.³ Some inscribed fragmentary potsherds were discovered in the excavation of the Kushāṇa stūpa at Mohenjodaro.⁴ They are all written with ink. One piece has letters with the hollow triangular head-mark already described. The letters on the other sherds have only a line head-mark The *anusvāra* is expressed by a short line and the letter *da* has its mouth open to the right. The letter *ha* shows a loop in place of the tick and *dha* has an almost triangular form with the apex downward. The end verticals of the letter *ya* are curled and *bha* is of the broad type with its horizontal notched. The base of *ma* has both oval and triangular forms. It is difficult to speak of a local style on the basis of these fragments. They show obvious connexion with the Western Malwa style. They can be dated in the second century A.D.
c14.s1.2
³ See below, p. 251.
c14.s1.3
⁴ Marshall, op. cit., pl. XC.
c14.s1.4
Of much later date are the inscribed pottery fragments from Ṭor Ḍheri in the Loralai district of North Baluchistan.⁵ These are also written with ink. Here the medial vowels *i* and *ī* have a curly flourish, but medial *ā* optionally has the later form used in the Gupta records. The triangular base of *ma* has an open mouth. On palaeographical grounds the inscriptions should be dated in the close of the fourth century a.d.
c14.s1.5
⁵ A. Stein, ‘An Archaeological Tour in Waziristan and Northern Baluchistan’, in *Mem. A.S.I.*, no. 37, p. 93, pls. XVII and XIX.