18

Indian Epigraphy TABLE 2.1. Early BrahmT Script VOWELS Full or initial forms

Medial (postconsonantal) forms

ka ka ki ku

ku

u
CONSONANTS

kc

ko kau

>

kaip

Guttural

Unvoiced unaspirated ka
ca

Voiced aspirated

Voiced unaspirated

Voiced aspirated
8 1 1 1
jha

Nasal

Semivowel

Sibilant
118

kha cha

*"
ja

Palatal Retroflex Dental Labial

88
na

*
*
pa

*
*
pha

*
da
te

dh, dha bha

"

*
M

fa 58
xf

ta

"

"

Conjunct consonants (representative examples) khya tnha

tva

^
sta

.
sya

Note: These are normalized forms, based on letters found in ASokan inscriptions, where available; otherwise from other earliest citations elsewhere. the rock inscriptions from the northwest. Lacouperie's suggestion was adopted by his contemporaries, most significantly by Buhler40 in his influential works, and thereby became the accepted term. While the name BrahmT for the ancient Indian national script is no doubt in a general sense correct, it should be kept in mind that we do not really know precisely what form or derivative of the script the authors of the early script lists were referring to as
40. The expression "Brahma alphabet" used by Buhler in OIBA has, however, been supplanted in modern usage by "Brahmi" [lipi].