Indian Epigraphy c6.s1.42

c6.s1.42

Generally separation of words or their groups is not observed in inscriptions. In certain cases, some letters are found to be separated from others; but this was done without any system and probably according to the will of the scribe or engraver. Often the end of an epigraph was indicated by punctuation marks and occasionally the end of a sentence or section or the first or second half of a stanza was also likewise marked. At the end of a section, sometimes we have the representation of a lotus,¹ a floral design,² a circle³ and other symbols.⁴ In the upper part of a number of medieval inscriptions, there are such representations as the Śiva-liṅga, Nandin (Śiva's bull), a cow-with-calf, sun and moon, etc. Only in some cases an omission was indicated by a cross or kākapāda (or haṃsapāda) symbol and the omitted letter or letters were engraved in the margin.⁵ Letters wrongly engraved were occasionally erased by chiselling or the cancellation was indicated by one or more strokes.⁶