Vatteluttu belonged to the group of Tamil-Malayalam scripts among the Southern Brahmi derivatives.[4][6] The script was used for centuries in inscriptions and manuscripts of south India.[7]
Three possible suggestions for the etymology of the term 'Vatteluttu' are commonly proposed. Eluttu (ezhuthu) is literally 'written form' in this context; and affixed here it means 'writing system' or 'script'.
The script was also known as Tekken-Malayalam or Nana-mona.[8] The name "Nana-mona" is given to it because, at the time when it is taught, the words "namostu" etc. are begun, which are spelt "nana, mona, ittanna, tuva" (that is, "na, mo and tu"), and the alphabet therefore came to be known as the "nana-mona" alphabet.[8]
Historyedit
Vatteluttu probably started developing from Tamil-Brahmi from around the 4th or 5th century AD.[2][9][10] The earliest forms of the script have been traced to memorial stone inscriptions from the 4th century AD.[2] It is distinctly attested in a number of inscriptions in Tamil Nadu from the 6th century AD.[4] By the 7th to 8th centuries, it had developed into a completely separate script from Tamil-Brahmi.[6] Its use is also attested in north-eastern Sri Lankan rock inscriptions, such as those found near Trincomalee, dated to between c. the 5th and 8th centuries AD.[11]
Vatteluttu was replaced by the Pallava-Grantha script from the 7th century AD in the Pallava court. From the 11th century AD onwards the Tamil script displaced the Pallava-Grantha as the principal script for writing Tamil.[6][2] In what is now Kerala, Vatteluttu continued for a much longer period than in Tamil Nadu by incorporating characters from Pallava-Grantha to represent Sanskrit loan words in early Malayalam.[6][3] Early Malayalam inscriptions (c. 9th and 12th century AD) are composed mostly in Vatteluttu.[3][12] The script went on evolving in Kerala during this period and from c. the 12th century onwards.[3]
Replacementedit
Vatteluttu gradually developed into a script known as "Koleluttu" in Kerala. This script was more commonly used in north Kerala. It continued in use among certain Kerala communities, especially Muslims and Christians, even after the 16th century and up to the 19th century AD.[3]
Another script derived from Vatteluttu was the "Malayayma" or "Malayanma". This script was more commonly used in southern Kerala. The script is not, however, the one that is ancestral to the modern Malayalam script.[7]
The modern Malayalam script, a modified form of the Pallava-Grantha script, later replaced Vatteluttu for writing the Malayalam language.[3][7]
Lettersedit
Evolution of Vatteluttu (script)
The script continuously went on evolving during its period of existence (in such a way that the date of a record may be fixed approximately by reference to the script alone).[3][8]
Last quarter of the 8th century – the difference between two similar letters, such as for instance between 'p' and 'v'; and 'ṅ' and 'l' etc., was very markedly shown.[8]
A few centuries later – difficult to distinguish between 'k' and 'c', 'ṅ' and 'l', 'p' and 'v' and so on.[8]
17th-18 centuries – letters 'p', 'v', 'y', and 'n' and sometimes 'l' also, are alike.[8]
^ abcdeRajan, K. (2001). "Territorial Division as Gleaned from Memorial Stones". East and West. 51 (3/4): 359–367. JSTOR 29757518.
^ abcdefghijNarayanan, M. G. S. (2013) [1972]. Perumāḷs of Kerala: Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks. pp. 379-80 and 398. ISBN9788188765072.
^ abcdCoulmas, Florian (1999). The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Writing Systems. Blackwell Publishing. p. 542. ISBN9780631214816.
^ abcdKrishnamurti, Bhadriraju (2003). The Dravidian Languages. Cambridge University Press. pp. 78, 84–85. ISBN978-1-139-43533-8.
^ abcFreeman, Rich (2003). "The Literary Culture of Premodern Kerala". In Sheldon, Pollock (ed.). Literary Cultures in History. University of California Press. p. 481. ISBN9780520228214.
^ abcdefRao, T. A. Gopinatha. Specimens of Vatteluttu Inscriptions. Travancore Archaeological Series. Vol. XVI (1911 ed.). Government of Travancore. pp. 283–84.
^Mahadevan, Iravatham (2003). Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD. Harvard University Press. pp. 210–213. ISBN978-0-674-01227-1.
^Salomon, Richard (2004). "Review: Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD". The Journal of the American Oriental Society. Harvard Oriental Series. 124 (3): 565–569. doi:10.2307/4132283. JSTOR 4132283.
^Manogaran, Chelvadurai (2000). The Untold Story of Ancient Tamils in Sri Lanka. Chennai: Kumaran Publishers. p. 31.
^Veluthat, Kesavan. "History and Historiography in Constituting a Region: The Case of Kerala." Studies in People’s History, vol. 5, no. 1, June 2018, pp. 13–31.
vatteluttu, popularly, romanised, vattezhuthu, tamil, வட, vaṭṭeḻuttu, malayalam, വട, vaṭṭeḻuttŭ, ʋɐʈːeɻut, ːɨ, alphasyllabic, writing, system, south, india, tamil, nadu, kerala, lanka, used, writing, tamil, malayalam, languages, modern, typeface, script, typea. Vatteluttu popularly romanised as Vattezhuthu Tamil வட ட ழ த த Vaṭṭeḻuttu and Malayalam വട ട ഴ ത ത Vaṭṭeḻuttŭ IPA ʋɐʈːeɻut ːɨ was an alphasyllabic writing system of south India Tamil Nadu and Kerala and Sri Lanka used for writing the Tamil and Malayalam languages 4 5 Vatteluttu Vatteluttu in modern Vatteluttu typeface 1 Script typeAbugidaDirectionleft to rightLanguagesTamil MalayalamRelated scriptsParent systemsEgyptian hieroglyphsProto SinaiticPheonicianAramaicBrahmi 2 Tamil Brahmi 2 VatteluttuChild systemsKoleluttu script 3 Sister systemsPallava 4 This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet IPA For an introductory guide on IPA symbols see Help IPA For the distinction between and see IPA Brackets and transcription delimiters This article contains Indic text Without proper rendering support you may see question marks or boxes misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text Vatteluttu belonged to the group of Tamil Malayalam scripts among the Southern Brahmi derivatives 4 6 The script was used for centuries in inscriptions and manuscripts of south India 7 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Replacement 3 Letters 4 Unicode 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEtymology editThree possible suggestions for the etymology of the term Vatteluttu are commonly proposed Eluttu ezhuthu is literally written form in this context and affixed here it means writing system or script The three suggestions are Vatte eluttu rounded script 3 5 Vata eluttu northern script 3 Vette eluttu chiseled script 3 The script was also known as Tekken Malayalam or Nana mona 8 The name Nana mona is given to it because at the time when it is taught the words namostu etc are begun which are spelt nana mona ittanna tuva that is na mo and tu and the alphabet therefore came to be known as the nana mona alphabet 8 History editVatteluttu probably started developing from Tamil Brahmi from around the 4th or 5th century AD 2 9 10 The earliest forms of the script have been traced to memorial stone inscriptions from the 4th century AD 2 It is distinctly attested in a number of inscriptions in Tamil Nadu from the 6th century AD 4 By the 7th to 8th centuries it had developed into a completely separate script from Tamil Brahmi 6 Its use is also attested in north eastern Sri Lankan rock inscriptions such as those found near Trincomalee dated to between c the 5th and 8th centuries AD 11 Vatteluttu was replaced by the Pallava Grantha script from the 7th century AD in the Pallava court From the 11th century AD onwards the Tamil script displaced the Pallava Grantha as the principal script for writing Tamil 6 2 In what is now Kerala Vatteluttu continued for a much longer period than in Tamil Nadu by incorporating characters from Pallava Grantha to represent Sanskrit loan words in early Malayalam 6 3 Early Malayalam inscriptions c 9th and 12th century AD are composed mostly in Vatteluttu 3 12 The script went on evolving in Kerala during this period and from c the 12th century onwards 3 Replacement edit Vatteluttu gradually developed into a script known as Koleluttu in Kerala This script was more commonly used in north Kerala It continued in use among certain Kerala communities especially Muslims and Christians even after the 16th century and up to the 19th century AD 3 Another script derived from Vatteluttu was the Malayayma or Malayanma This script was more commonly used in southern Kerala The script is not however the one that is ancestral to the modern Malayalam script 7 The modern Malayalam script a modified form of the Pallava Grantha script later replaced Vatteluttu for writing the Malayalam language 3 7 Letters edit nbsp Evolution of Vatteluttu script The script continuously went on evolving during its period of existence in such a way that the date of a record may be fixed approximately by reference to the script alone 3 8 Last quarter of the 8th century the difference between two similar letters such as for instance between p and v and ṅ and l etc was very markedly shown 8 A few centuries later difficult to distinguish between k and c ṅ and l p and v and so on 8 17th 18 centuries letters p v y and n and sometimes l also are alike 8 Vatteluttu ISO Equivalent letter inTamil Malayalam nbsp a அ അ nbsp a ஆ ആ nbsp i இ ഇ nbsp u உ ഉ nbsp e எ എVatteluttu ISO Equivalent letter inTamil Malayalam nbsp k க ക nbsp ṅ ங ങ nbsp c ச ച nbsp n ஞ ഞ nbsp ṭ ட ട nbsp ṇ ண ണ nbsp t த ത nbsp n ந ന nbsp p ப പ nbsp m ம മVatteluttu ISO Equivalent letter inTamil Malayalam nbsp ṟ ற റ nbsp y ய യ nbsp r ர ര nbsp l ல ല nbsp ḷ ள ള nbsp v வ വ nbsp Velvikudi Grant 8th century AD Tamil nbsp Quilon Plates 9th century AD Old Malayalam nbsp Jewish Plates 11th century AD Old Malayalam Unicode editNot yet added to unicode but proposals have been made to add it 13 See also editTamil script Pallava script Malayalam scriptReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vatteluttu alphabet Vatteluttu Omniglot com a b c d e Rajan K 2001 Territorial Division as Gleaned from Memorial Stones East and West 51 3 4 359 367 JSTOR 29757518 a b c d e f g h i j Narayanan M G S 2013 1972 Perumaḷs of Kerala Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy Thrissur Kerala CosmoBooks pp 379 80 and 398 ISBN 9788188765072 a b c d Coulmas Florian 1999 The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Writing Systems Blackwell Publishing p 542 ISBN 9780631214816 a b Krishnamurti Bhadriraju Tamil Language Encyclopaedia Britannica a b c d Krishnamurti Bhadriraju 2003 The Dravidian Languages Cambridge University Press pp 78 84 85 ISBN 978 1 139 43533 8 a b c Freeman Rich 2003 The Literary Culture of Premodern Kerala In Sheldon Pollock ed Literary Cultures in History University of California Press p 481 ISBN 9780520228214 a b c d e f Rao T A Gopinatha Specimens of Vatteluttu Inscriptions Travancore Archaeological Series Vol XVI 1911 ed Government of Travancore pp 283 84 Mahadevan Iravatham 2003 Early Tamil Epigraphy From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD Harvard University Press pp 210 213 ISBN 978 0 674 01227 1 Salomon Richard 2004 Review Early Tamil Epigraphy From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD The Journal of the American Oriental Society Harvard Oriental Series 124 3 565 569 doi 10 2307 4132283 JSTOR 4132283 Manogaran Chelvadurai 2000 The Untold Story of Ancient Tamils in Sri Lanka Chennai Kumaran Publishers p 31 Veluthat Kesavan History and Historiography in Constituting a Region The Case of Kerala Studies in People s History vol 5 no 1 June 2018 pp 13 31 Roadmap to the SMP Unicode Consortium Retrieved 21 August 2023 External links editTamil Nadu Government Archaeology Department Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vatteluttu amp oldid 1192763340, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
