Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.27

c28.27

**5. Date:** The inscriptions are arranged chronologically in three periods, namely Early Tamil-Brāhmī (ca. 2nd century B.C.-1st century A.D.), Late Tamil-Brāhmī (ca. 2nd-4th centuries A.D.) and Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu (ca. 5th and 6th centuries A.D.). Within each period, an attempt has been made to indicate approximately the date of the inscription to the nearest century. See section 2.16 and Tables 2.1 and 2.2 on the chronology of the inscriptions.