Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t9.13

c28.s8.t9.13

The decipherment of the Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscription in the cave-temple at Pillaiyarpatti has raised a question on the dating and authorship of the shrine. Whether the *peruntaccaṉ* referred to in the inscription excavated or renovated the cave-temple, it is obvious that the date of its construction must be coeval with or earlier than the date of the inscription engraved on a pilaster. The inscription has been described as 'archaic' and could not be read correctly until long after it was discovered (*ARE* 156/1935-36).