Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c21.s16.t2: 2.16.2 Changing trends in the chronology of cave inscriptions

c21.s16.t2.1

In the meanwhile, Wheeler's chronology at Arikamedu has had its impact on the dating of the cave inscriptions discovered later by the ASI. Thus the additional inscriptions discovered at Mangulam, Muttuppatti and Alagarmalai were assigned to ca. 1st century B.C. and those at Vikkiramangalam and Pugalur to ca. 1st century A.D. (*ARE 1963-64*) even though these inscriptions occur in the same caves along with inscriptions dated earlier to ca. 3rd or 2nd century B.C. The inscriptions discovered at Arachalur were assigned to ca. 3rd century A.D. (*ARE 1961-62*) and at Ammankoyilpatti to ca. 4th or 5th century A.D. (*ARE 1979-80*). The recognition that not all cave inscriptions belong to the same period is a welcome development; but the dates assigned to the recent discoveries in the *ARE* appear to be *ad hoc* and, except in very few cases, not supported by discussion of the palaeographic evidence. More recently there has been a backlash reflected in earlier dates being proposed again for the most recent discoveries as at Mettuppatti assigned to ca. 3rd century B.C. (*ARE 1985-86*).