Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c21.s16.t1.6

c21.s16.t1.6

At Arikamedu itself, evidence has been accumulating that the time-spread for pottery inscriptions is wider than assumed by Wheeler. Vimala Begley has argued persuasively for a longer period from ca. 250 B.C. to 200 A.D.⁴ In particular, she has drawn attention to an important piece of evidence overlooked earlier viz., the inscribed sherd found in the excavation by Casal from the megalithic and Iron Age levels predating Roman trade at this site.⁵ According to the revised chronology proposed by Vimala Begley, the sherd is assigned to Phase A (mid-third to mid-second century B.C.).⁶ More recently, Vimala Begley has further modified the time-spread at Arikamedu to be between 200 B.C. and 300 A.D., with Phase A between 200 and 150 B.C.⁷