Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s24.t1: 4.21.1 Flora

Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s24.t1

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4.21.1 Flora

c23.s24.t1.2

The place name *kumuḷ-ūr* (*kumuḻūr*) occurs in the inscription at Sittannavasal-A (No. *49*, ca. 1st century B.C.). Cf. Ta. *kumiḻ*, Ka. *kumuḷe* 'comb teak tree'.

The place name *parampaṉ-kōkūr* occurs in the inscription at Ammankoyilpatti (No. *84*, 4th century A.D.). *kōkūr* may be construed as *kōku*+*ūr*, literally 'the village of *kō(ṅ)ku*'. Cf. *kōṅku* 'common caung, ironwood tree of Malabar'.

c23.s24.t1.5

(iii) A flowering tree (*mayil koṉṟai*)

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The place name *nāḷaḷ* (read *ñāḻal*) occurs in the inscription at Kudumiyamalai (No. *77*, ca. 3rd century A.D.). Cf. *ñāḻal* / *nāḻal*, a flowering tree called *pulinaka-k-koṉṟai* or *mayil koṉṟai* in modern Tamil. There are literary and inscriptional references to several places in the Tamil country named after *ñāḻal* in ancient times.

c23.s24.t1.7

(iv) Paddy

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An inscription at Varichiyur (No. *16*, ca. 2nd century B.C.) refers to *nūṟu kala nel* 'hundred kalams of paddy'. A place name *nelveḷi*, literally 'paddy field' occurs in another inscription at Arittapatti (No. *7*, ca. 2nd century B.C.).

c23.s24.t1.9

(v) Palm tree

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The place name *paṉai tuṟai* occurs in the inscription at Aiyarmalai (No. *50*, ca. 1st century B.C.). The tree-like symbol engraved at the end of the Cēra inscription at Edakal-A (No. *80*, ca. 3rd century A.D.) probably depicts the palm, the insignia of the Cēra dynasty.