Script shown: Brahmi

  Given below is some additional information about the script including the methods adopted in the writing system for the script. Aspects of the writing system specific to the script will also be indicated. The reader my benefit from looking at the pages discussing the aspects of writing systems followed for Indian languages for a generic view of syllabic writing systems.

The Brahmi scripts is the earliest known script used for writing Sanskrit. According to the scholars, the period of the Brahmi script relates to the reign of Emperor Ashoka (300 B.C.). The interesting point about Brahmi is that virtually every known piece of writing in the script was inscribed on stone. Variations of the script have been seen in the rock inscriptions of south India, especially at Bhattiprolu in Andhra Pradesh. The Tamil Brahmi, includes symbols for four Tamil letters not seen in Sanskrit. The image below is a rock inscription in Tamil Brahmi, from the interior of TamilNadu.

We are grateful to Sri. Iravatam Mahadevan for the permission accorded to display the images on this page. He has also given us a normalized (or standardized) set of Brahmi letters using which we have designed the Truetype fonts shown in the illustration above.

The image below is obtained from the above colour image through a separation process by converting the image to CMYK channels.