Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c20.s6.t1.4

c20.s6.t1.4

The Jambai inscription records the grant of the cave shelter by *atiyaṉ neṭumān añci* who has the title *satiyaputō*. The record can be dated to ca. 1st century A.D. on palaeographic grounds. The donor of the grant has been identified by Nagaswamy as Atiyamāṉ Neṭumāṉ Añci, the famous chieftain of Takaṭūr (modern Dharmapuri), celebrated in the Caṅkam classic, *Puṟanāṉūṟu*. The title *satiyaputō* occurs in Asoka's Second Rock Edict along with names identified as Cēras, Cōḻas and Pāṇṭiyas. It has been suspected earlier on linguistic grounds that *satiyaputō* is connected etymologically to *atiyamāṉ*. The Jambai inscription which provides conclusive evidence in support of this identification has been aptly described by Nagaswamy as a 'new link' between Asoka and the Tamil country.