Indian Palaeography c17.s8.11

c17.s8.11

As remarked before, in some Pyu inscriptions¹ each line of the Pyu alternates with another line of writing that is definitely in different Indian characters. As far as we have been able to read them, they do not make any sequence. It appears that the letters have been used as pure alphabets, and it is doubtful whether any medial vowel is used with the consonants, except the inherent *a*. Most of the letters repeat themselves, like *ma*, *ma*, *ma* or *ta*, *ta*, *ta* or *va*, *va*, *va*, &c., or we find them in combinations with others. It is for the epigraphists to decide whether they are to be taken as musical notes. But the letters have clearly preserved certain older forms. The most remarkable is the form of *a*, which has on the right a vertical with two curved strokes on the left—a form which is seen from Aśokan times to the 1st century a.d. in India, but which in Ceylon is preserved till the fourth century a.d. Another striking feature is the form of *ya*, which is of the ‘anchor-shaped’ type—a long vertical within a crescent below, a type also preserved in Ceylon till a late period. All other forms, such as *ta*, *na* with a curved base, the round backed *da*, *ma* with a looped base, the straight vertical of *ra*, and *va* with a circle below a stem, are later southern forms of about the fourth to fifth century a.d. All the letters are characterized by notched head-marks. These notches are of the same style as those in the main Pyu inscription. There is no doubt that these letters were written at the same time as the Pyu inscription, as the ornamental curved flourishes of the Pyu writing had been arranged in line with these letters. The Pyu inscription itself cannot be dated earlier than the seventh century a.d. It is difficult to account for the preservation of the older forms unless these were used for some definite purpose, musical or otherwise.