Porunthal: dating of paddy in the 5th century B.C. and possible consequences on the evaluation of the history of writing in India

[Corinna Wessels-Mevissen]

Respected Colleagues,
I had apologized beforehand ("sorry to say...") and will do this once more. This was a general statement not immediately connected with the decipherment of "va-y(a)-ra", but drawn from my own - quite recent - experience, when a well-known archaeologist (not to name here) had even given my name in support of an - in my view - untenable new dating attempt. (In this case, Brahmi was not involved.)

But please excuse me, I should better not have conflated these matters!

Best wishes,

Corinna



________________________________
Von: rajam <rajam at EARTHLINK.NET>
An: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
Gesendet: 21:25 Samstag, 15.Oktober 2011 
Betreff: Re: [INDOLOGY] Porunthal: dating of paddy in the 5th century B.C. and possible consequences on the evaluation of the history of writing in India


More than that ... Dear JLC, 

The statement, "Archaeologists, particularly in Tamilnadu, seem to be under a constant kind of pressure (or is it a mindset?) to "push back" so far established dates. They regularly come up with various attempts." needs some attention and substantiation. I wish genuine and serious scholars would stop making such flippant remarks! :-)

Best wishes,
V.S. Rajam
(www.letsgrammar.org) 

On Oct 15, 2011, at 12:21 PM, Jean-Luc CHEVILLARD wrote:

Dear Corinna Wessels-Mevissen,
>
>
>can you explain more in details
>why you are sceptical with the decipherment
>"va-y(a)-ra".
>
>
>Every comment is important, at this stage, ...
>
>
>Best wishes
>
>
>-- jlc
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On 16/10/2011 00:30, Corinna Wessels-Mevissen wrote:
>Dear Colleagues,
>>What I have seen in the circulated picture is just typical "graffiti" we are getting on Iron Age to Early Historical Period pottery in graves (urn burial and/or "Megalithic"). It has been known since the 19th century. Sometimes it comes like a "code" or intentional sequence. One should, of course, analyse it further, but I fail to see a breakthrough in this one. (I had studied such ceramics for my M.A. thesis back in the 80ies and have seen scores of the typical pottery items, all without Brahmi writing.)
>>Sorry to say this, but I would be always very careful, even suspicious, believing this kind of "news" without looking into the matter very closely. Actually, the original article should have illustrated the example for everyone to see. Archaeologists, particularly in Tamilnadu, seem to be under a constant kind of pressure (or is it a mindset?) to "push back" so far established dates. They regularly come up with various attempts.
>>With best wishes,
>>Corinna Wessels-Mevissen
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>*Von:* Dipak Bhattacharya <dbhattacharya200498 at YAHOO.COM>
>>*An:* INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
>>*Gesendet:* 18:06 Samstag, 15.Oktober 2011
>>*Betreff:* Re: [INDOLOGY] Porunthal: dating of paddy in the 5th century B.C. and possible consequences on the evaluation of the history of writing in India
>>Dear Colleagues,
>>My apology that this is no additional light but the most common and inevitable queries. Will the Porunthal discovery shorten the dark gap between Asokan Brahmi and its supposed origin in the 800 century BCE phɶnician script? The claim of the Piprawa vase legend as representing a pre-Asokan stage of Brahmi has not got universal ac-ra"ceptance. The Porunthal relic too may offer and open up new problems. If the claimed date is true it should represent an intermediate stage which cannot be without visible signs. Apparently it is ancient Tamil. But unless it is proved to be intermediate between Asokan Brahmi and the 800 century BCE phɶnician script, the mostly accepted theory shall not be proved. I tried but could not be sure that it could be regarded as intermediate. I paste below the original legend and the modern Tamil /vayara/. I would have been glad to paste an image of the same word in ancient Tamil. In spite of my inability, it can be said
 with confidence that Raja Raja Chola's va is not like the inital diamond. I have no idea about RRC's ba of which I have no specimen. The basic problem may be attempted from this meagre evidence, I think.
>>“Evidences” and views on pre-Asokan Brahmi are a legion – starting with at least K.P. Jayaswal and stretching up to at least the late twentieth century. Going by previous experience I keep my fingers crossed.I wish I am proved wrong.
>>Best wishes
>>DB
>>வயர (or வய்ர).


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