Early Tamil Epigraphy From The Earliest Times To The Sixth Century Ad Iravatham Mahadevan by Iravatham Mahadevan 9780674012271, 0674012275 instant download after payment.

EARLY TAMIL EPIGRAPHY is the first definitive edition of the earliest Tamil inscriptions in the Tamil-Brahmi and Early Vatteluttu scripts dating from ca. second century B.C. to sixth century A.D. It is based on the author's extensive fieldwork carried out in two spells between 1962-66 and 1991-1996.The study deal comprehensively with the epigraphy, language and contents of the inscriptions. The texts are given in transliteration with translation and extensive word by word commentary. The inscriptions are illustrated with tracings made directly from the stone, estampages and direct photographs. Palaeography of Tamil-Brahmi and Early Vatteluttu scripts is described in detail with the help of letter charts. The special orthographic and grammatical features of the earliest Tamil inscriptions are described in this work for the first time. A glossary of inscriptional words and several classified word lists have been added to aid further research.The work provides a detailed account of the discovery and decipherment of the inscriptions and relates their language and contents to early Tamil literature and society. The recently discovered Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions on pottery and objects like coins, seals, rings, etc., have also been utilized to present a more complete picture of early Tamil epigraphy.