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Indian Palaeography c17.s5: Java

Indian Palaeography c17.s5

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Java

c17.s5.1

The inscriptions from Java fall into two geographical zones: (A) Western Java, and (B) Central Java.

c17.s5.2

A. All these inscriptions refer to King Śrī Pūrṇavarman. They fall into two groups. The first (i) includes Pl. XXI. 2, 3, and the second (ii) Pl. XXI. 4. No. 2 is based on the Ci-Aruton inscription, and no. 3 on the Jambu and Kebon Kopi inscriptions, while no. 4 is derived from the Tugu inscription. The main difference between the first and second groups is in their head-marks, the first having those of the rectangular or thick type and the second of the notched variety. There is no difference at all in the forms of the letters. The first group establishes a link with the inscriptions of Mūlavarman. Besides the head-marks, we find a similar use of the broad-looped base in *kha* and the looped varieties of *ṇa*, *na* and *ta*. But there are other fundamental differences. The most easily noticeable is the frequency of waves in the lines. The next is recognized in the new forms of the medial vowels, derived from the Pallava records, identical with those used in B (i) group of the inscriptions from Fou-nan. Another feature is the emphasis laid on the extended curves at the lower verticals of *a*, *ka*, *ra*, *ña*, and the vertical type of the medial *u*. The letter-forms are also similar to those of the inscriptions from Fou-nan. But minoı differences may be noted: here the subscript *ya* is of the ornamental type as used in the inscriptions of Mūlavarman, but no ornamental curve is seen in the medial *o* attached to *lo*; the double curved type of the medial *ū* as applied to *bhū* in the later inscriptions in Fou-nan is not found here; similarly, the later type of the medial *o*, having a top stroke on the right and a sloping one on the left, is also absent. In other words the new tendencies seen in the Tham Prasat inscriptions of Mahendravarman (Pl. XX. 9) are not found here. The Chālukyan type of *a* with an extended curve of its lower right vertical is also not met here. The closest resemblance is to the inscription of Guṇavarman from Fou-nan. These features suggest a date in the first half of the sixth century A.D.

c17.s5.3

B. The inscriptions (Pl. XXI. 5, 6) discovered in this zone do not go back to a very early date. Those found are in the simplified version of the style seen in Western Java and in Indo-China.