Page:The Origin of the Bengali Script.djvu/45

A.D.^[1] and which others hold to belong to the 6th century A.D.^[2], no inscriptions are known which can be said to belong to the pre-Gupta period.

At the beginning of the Gupta period, we are confronted with three distinct varieties of the alphabet, used in Northern India. Inscriptions belonging to the first-half of the 4th century A.D., are unknown unless the Allahabad pillar-inscription of Samudragupta^[3] be referred to that period. The second inscription in the chronological order, which can be safely referred to this period, is the Bodh-Gayā Image-inscription^[4] of the Gupta year 64=383-84 A.D. Scholars are divided in opinion about the date of this inscription also. Prof. Lüders of Berlin holds Cunningham's theory and says that it is a Śaka date^[5], inspite of Dr. Bühler's clear statement on the point.^[6]

E. The so-called Gupta Alphabet of the 4th and 5th centuries A.D.

Dr. Bühler recognises three different varieties in the Northern Indian alphabet of the 4th and 5th centuries A.D.:–

• (i) the Eastern variety—distinguished by the peculiar forms of la, ha, ṣa and sa,^[7]
• (ii) the Western variety—cursive roundhand type,^[8]

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1. Ind. Ant., Vol. XXXVII, p. 29.
2. Fleet's Gupta Inscriptions, pp. 262, 273; Kielhorn's List of Inscriptions of Northern India, Ep. Ind., Vol. V, App. p. 63, No. 445 and p. 65, No. 463.
3. Fleet's Gupta Inscriptions, p. 1.
4. Cunningham's Mahābodhi, Pl. XXV.
5. Ind. Ant., Vol. XXXIII, p. 40.
6. Bühler's Indian Palæography, Eng. Ed., p. 46 and note 10.
7. Ibid, Eng. Ed., p. 46.
8. Ibid, p. 47.