Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c25.s13.5

c25.s13.5

*-ī*: The medial *-ī* sign occurs relatively rarely. The primitive form of the sign with twin strokes survives even in Late Tamil-Brāhmī (Chart 6: *-ī*: *65*) along with the more evolved forms in the same period (ibid. *66*, *72*). In an exceptional form in the pottery inscriptions at Kodumanal, the medial *-ī* strokes are attached to the horizontal arm in *kī* (Chart 7: KDM 1). In Late Vaṭṭeḻuttu, the twin strokes of the sign become cursive as in the letter *kī* at Pulankurichi (Chart 8). The form with a flourish occurring in Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu (Chart 6: *-ī*: *115*, *116*) is influenced by contemporary Southern Brāhmī.