Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c21.s4.t1.4

c21.s4.t1.4

(1) The *varga-prathamas* have generally been used.
(2) The soft consonants i.e., the *varga-tṛtīyas* are conspicuous by their absence.
(3) *śa* and *ṣha* are not met with, though *sa* is occasionally found.
(4) The lingual *ḷa* occurs frequently.
(5) Almost all the vowels with the exception of *ai*, *au*, *ṛi*, *lṛ*, *aṁ* and *aḥ* are represented.
(6) In the case of combined consonants the occurrence of short *e* and *o* deserve special attention, the two being the special characteristics of the Dravidian alphabets.³
(7) The aspirates are seldom used; the only two letters that are met with are *ṭha*⁴ and *dha*.
(8) Some symbols which never find use in the contemporary Asokan edicts are here employed and the sounds which they represent remain to be determined. This is a factor which at once points out that the language employed in the inscriptions contains sounds that could not be represented by the symbols extant in the Asokan code.