Indian Palaeography c15.s1.35

c15.s1.35

the last quarter of the sixth century A.D. another tendency is marked in the North Indian inscriptions. The right vertical limbs of the letters become slightly bent inwards (*kuṭila*), and hence Fleet's term *kuṭila* alphabet. At the same time, because of this bending, this vertical makes an acute angle with the base line, and hence Bühler's term 'acute-angled' alphabet. Bühler realized correctly that this acute angle is found much earlier than the *kuṭila* tendency and hence he traced this type of writing back to the fifth century A.D. But such a tendency can be seen in letters such as *sa* even earlier. Thus it is very difficult to adhere to Bühler's term. Fleet's term, though derived from a late inscription,¹ if understood to imply the style of writing which shows ornamental forms with