Origin of Dravidian languages

[N. Ganesan]

Most ancient Texts in Tamil
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The following is an extract (Chart IV, p. 42-43) from the book
"The Smile of Murugan" by Prof. Kamil Zvelebil on the most ancient
texts in the Tamil language (Kamil Zvelebil, The Smile of Murugan
- On Tamil literature of South India,E.J.Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands,
 1973).The earliest poems contained in these texts belong roughly to
100 B.C.- 250 A.D. The upper limit for these anthologies is the 5th-6th
Cent. A.D. Linguistically, this period is usually described as
Early Old Tamil. At the beginning of this period, we have the Ur-text
of the Tolkappiyam. At the end of this period, we have the earliest
poetics of Tamil, the Akapporul of Iraiyanar.

Regards,
N. Ganesan

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Text                     Details                         Approx. date
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Early Tamil Brahmi       The two rock-inscriptions of    3rd -1st
 Inscriptions.           Netunceliyan at Mangulam.         Cent. B.C.
                         Asoka's Brahmi introduced
                         around ca. 250 B.C. into the
                         Tamil country. Adapted between
                         250-220 to Tamil.

Ur-Tolkappiyum:          First standardization of the     2nd-1st .
 Eluttatikaram and       Tamil language; the first          Cent. B.C
 Collatikaram minus      literary norm of Maturai
 later interpolations.   between ca. 200-50 B.C.,
                         based on oral bardic liter-
                         ature, pre-literary tradi-
                         tions and "pre-Sangam" lit-
                         erature of ca 250-150 B.C.

The earliest strata of   Earliest "Sangam" poets:         1st Cent. B.C.
extant Tamil literature  Ammuvan (Ak. 10, 35, 140 etc.      - 2nd A.D.
in the Anthologies:      Aink. 101-102, Kur. 49,125,
 early poems of          163 etc.; Nar. 4, 35 etc.)
Ainkurunuru,Kuruntokai,  Otalantai (Aink. 301-400,
 and Narrinai,prob.also  Kur. 12, 21, 329), Orampoki
purananuru and           (Ak. 286, 316, Aink. 1-100
  Akananuru              Kur. 10, 70, 122 etc.,Nar.
                         20, 360, Pur. 284), Kapilar
                         the Elder (Aink. 201-300 etc.
                         Peyan (Aink. 401-500 etc.).


Arikamedu graffiti and                                    1st-2nd Cent.
 the related group of Tamil                                      A.D.
 Brahmi Inscriptions at
 Anaimalai etc.

The Satavahana bilingual                                  Ca. 150-200.
   coin.                                                      A.D

The earliest strata in   Kapilar the Elder, Mutat-        2nd-3rd Cent.
 the Pattuppattu         tamakkanni, Katiyalur                  A.D.
 anthology:              Uruttiran Kannan.
 Porunararruppatai,
 Perumpanarruppatai,
 Pattinappalai,
 Kurincippattu.

The middle strata of the  e.g.Paranar (150-230 A.D.),     2nd-4th Cent.
 Anthologies: Ainkuru-     Nakkirar the First,                   A.D.
 nuru, Kuruntokai, Nar-    Mankutimarutan.
 rinai, Patirruppattu,
 Akananuru, Purananuru,
 Malaipatukatam, Matu-
 raikkanci, Netunalvatai.

Late Tamil Brahmi         Later inscriptions from         3rd-4th Cent.
 Inscriptions:the Ceral   Araccalur, Mamantur etc.              A.D.
 inscriptions at Pukalur
  etc.

Later strata of the       e.g. Nagpputanar,               3rd-5th Cent.
 Anthologies:               Nallur Nattattanar.                A.D.
 Patirruppattu,
 Akananuru, Purananuru,
 Mullaippattu, Cirupan-
 arruppatai.

Transitional Tamil Brahmi                                 5th-6th Cent.
 (Proto-vatteluttu) Inscrip-                                A.D.
 tions at Pillaiyarpatti
 and Tirunatarkunram.

Latest strata of the                                      4th-6th Cent.
 Anthologies: e.g.                                            A.D.
 Cirupanarruppatai (?).
 Iraiyanar's Akapporul.

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