Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c25.s12.t3.15

c25.s12.t3.15

In the earliest forms of *ṟ* (Chart 3: III. 3 & 4), the constituent parts viz., the basic letter *ṭ*, the lower vertical and the angular attachment are all distinctly seen. Later, however, the vertical slants to the left and the angular attachment is abbreviated to a single stroke slanting to the right with the result that the two elements together look like the letter *t* joined to the letter *ṭ* (ibid. III.⁵).³ In another parallel development seen in the pottery inscriptions at Kodumanal, the lower vertical alone survives without the angular attachment or additional stroke (Chart 7: KDM 120 & 89). It is this form which leads to the more cursive shape seen in Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu (Chart 3: III.⁶). See also charts 5B and 6 to 8 for attested forms.