Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s1.t12.54

Language: English

c28.s1.t12.54

| **ILL.** | Tracing: Fig. 8.25. Estampage: Pl. 23. |
| **Locus** | In the upper cave on the rock wall abutting the headside of two stone beds. The first segment is above the stone bed at right and is engraved from right to left and upside down. The second segment is above the stone bed at left and engraved 'normally'. It appears from the sequence that the two segments constitute one inscription as read here. The illustrations are printed in the normal orientation. See section 5.8 on direction of writing. |
| **No. of Segments** | 2 |
| **Length** | 28 cm. (1st segment) + 13 cm. (2nd segment). |
| **Date** | ca. 1st century B.C. |
| **Publ.** | *ARE* B.140-141/1951-52. IM:49-50/1966. |
| | *HTS*: 12.3 (pp. 55, 87-88); MSV: 16.2 (p. 129); RN: 12.3 & 12.4 (pp. 63-64); |
| | TVM:9-A & B (pp. 251-257, Pl. 16 middle & top). |
| | C. Bose 1981: pp. 119-126. |
| **Notes** | |
| 1. | The first segment is read *mā tā yē va* and the second segment *na ya* in *ARE*. |
| 2. | Read *mārāyatu* (*mārāyattu*). Cf. LT *mārāyam*, an ancient title, here probably for one so honoured. See section 4.6.10. |
| 3. | [*m*\*] is supplied from the context. Cf. LT *kayam* 'tank'. |
| 4. | There is a pool just outside the two caves on the hill. |