Early Tamil Epigraphy from the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D

This book presents the earliest South Indian inscriptions (ca. second century B.C. to sixth century A.D.), written in Tamil in local derivations of the Ashokan Brahmi script. They are the earliest known Dravidian documents available and show some overlap with the early Cera and Pandya dynasties. Their language is Archaic Tamil, with a few borrowings from Prakrit and influences of old Kannada, both resulting from the early presence of northern Jainism. The widespread occurrence of pottery inscriptions indicates that the Tamil-Brahmi script had taken deep roots all over the countryside, leading to the cultured society visible in the classical Tamil poetry of the Cankam (Sangam) texts of the early centuries C.E. The work includes texts, transliteration, translation, detailed commentary, inscriptional glossary, and indexes.

About the author

Iravatham Mahadevan is a retired Indian Administrative Services officer.

Summary

This book presents the earliest South Indian inscriptions (ca. second century B.C.E. to sixth century A.D.), written in Tamil in local derivations of the Ashokan Brahmi script. The work includes texts, transliteration, translation, detailed commentary, inscriptional glossary, and indexes.

Product details

• Authors: Iravatham Mahadevan
• Assisted by: Iravatham Mahadevan (Editor), Iravatham Mahadevan (Translation), Mahadevan Iravatham (Editor and translation)
• Publisher: University Presses
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2003
• EAN: 9780674012271
• ISBN: 978-0-674-01227-1
• Weight: 2540 g
• Illustrations: 61 halftones, 16 line illustrations, 3 maps, 9 paleographic charts, 110 tracings and 110 photographic images
• Series: Harvard Oriental Series; Harvard Oriental; Harvard Oriental Series; Harvard Oriental (HUP)
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; Tamil, Asia, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, LITERARY COLLECTIONS / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / General, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Alphabets & Writing Systems, LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / Indic, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Regional Studies, Regional / International studies, Anthologies: general, Anthologies (non-poetry), Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Palaeography (History Of Writing), BCE to c 500 CE, BCE period – Protohistory, Palaeography