Indian Palaeography c17.s2.8

c17.s2.8

(iii) Burma appears to have been in contact by the overland route with Eastern India and by the sea-route with the eastern coast of South India. The Eastern Indian influence is seen in the inscriptions found in Arakan and as far down as Hmawza near Prome. These inscriptions are datable from the seventh century A.D. onwards. The South Indian influence is traceable in the Maunggun gold plates and the Kawgun cave inscription, both of which belong to the sixth century A.D. We may be able to detect another contact if we can decide about the origin of the Pyu writing. The medial vowels used in this writing are exclusively northern, though the medial *i* shows a variation in the local style. Letters such as *u*, *kha*, *ta*, *ya* and *la* suggest influence from Western India, possibly Chālukyan. But the letters *a*, *tha*, and the tripartite form of *ya* point to an earlier date. On the whole it seems that the original writing from which these characters are derived is connected with the source of the Vo-Canh inscription, but in course of time this writing became stylized in this region. The examples that we actually have are seventh-century versions of the original writing.