[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003) › c26.s7 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c26.s7: 6.7 TB-II system of medial vowel notation Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c26.s7 - **Language:** English ### 6.7 TB-II system of medial vowel notation ### [c26.s7.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7.1) The characteristic features of this system are as follows. ### [c26.s7.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7.2) 1. The consonantal symbol is read either as basic or with the 'inherent' \*-a\* depending on the linguistic context. 2. There is therefore no separate marker for the medial \*-a\*. 3. The short horizontal stroke attached to the top right of a consonantal symbol stands only for the medial \*-ā\* as in the Brāhmī script. ### [c26.s7.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7.3) \*Examples:\* ### [c26.s7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7.4) | Apparent reading | Actual reading (with TB-II notation) | | \*\*a ti ya na ne ṯu mā na a ña ci\*\* | \*atiyan neṭumān añci\* 'name of a chieftain' (59.2) | | \*\*vi ya ka ka ṇa ko pa ṇa ka ṇa te va ṇa\*\* | \*viyakkaṉ kōpaṉ kaṇa tēvaṉ\* 'name of a donor' (84.4) | ### [c26.s7.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7.5) The Cēra inscriptions at Pugalur (Nos. \*61\* & \*62\*) are typical examples of the Tamil-Brāhmī script with the TB-II notation. The ambiguity in this system in distinguishing the basic consonant from the one with the 'inherent' \*-a\* was removed in the next stage (TB-III) with the invention of a marker (\*puḷḷi\*) for the basic consonant. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c26.s7) · Pramāṇa