Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c21.s4.t5.11

c21.s4.t5.11

Even though Subrahmanya Aiyer discovered many of the cave inscriptions and had seen most others *in situ*, he appears to have edited the inscriptions for publication relying on unsatisfactory estampages of weather-worn inscriptions. Otherwise, the mixing up of estampages at Mangulam and the incorrect sequence of reading the inscriptions at Kongarpuliyankulam, Vikkiramangalam and Mettuppatti could not have happened.⁵ I have no doubt that direct editing from the stone would have produced more accurate texts in most cases.