^ (rg*). It is a very early example for a decorative inscrip-
tion, for most of them seem to belong to the Gupta era^. Apart
from the decorative shapes of the medial vowels, the script of
this graffito has close resemblance to %Ay?7Y?s of the Kusana
alphabet c discussed in detail in my palasographical study on
mss. of the Prussian Turfan collection. Alphabet c was compiled
from palm-leaf mss. found at Qizil (SANDER 1968: 60—63,
81—83, PI. 1—8). 772% % is transitional between the Kusana 722%
X and the Gupta onesUf, 3J the last of which is characteristic
of Mathura, the northwestern provinces, and Central Asia. The
transitional form corresponds with that of the basic*ms. for
alphabet c, Cat.-Nr. 649 (SHT 1, PI. 4), which was dated to the
late Kusana period (SANDER 1968: 81—83).
2. On the second graffito in the proposed chronological order
P/. 209 u%SM772<for%sy<3 can be deciphered, what in accordance with Pro-
fessor von HINUBER is a miswriting for p%s22<3^p%sy%. The script
is very close to that of ms. Cat.-No. 19a in the Prussian Turfan
collection (SHT 1, PI. 6), which is the basis of alphabet f in my
palaeographical study (SANDER 1968: 101) and is dated to the
third to fourth century A. D. The similarity between the inscrip-
tion and the ms. is obvious from the ductus, characteristic of
which are extremely long diacritic signs for -z? in s%722 ^ and
the shape of the subscribed -y- in syo (SHT 1, PI. 6, Cat.-No.
19a a2: sy%zf).
P/. 210 3. The style of writing in the graffito following next differs
clearly. The %Ay?7Y?s are written broader than those on the in-
scription above. They are nearly right-angled, a typical feature
of the Mathura style. The graffito'reads: tA72Z2s^72%^ p7Y?pf% 72%%?.
The meaning is not quite clear, perhaps: "Visnusena has reached
14 SALOMON 1982: 95. According to SALOMON the "shell inscriptions"
are often found together with ornate inscriptions at one site (107f.),
which may be of some interest for the decipherment of ornate inscrip-
tions from Chilas (cf. DANI 1983: 77, No. 57). Moreover, shell and
ornate inscriptions have often the same contents as the graffiti of the
Indus valley, they "represent personal names inscribed as 'pilgrims'
records by visitors to the various sites" (97).
15 has a peculiar shape, it is turned to the right side as -1 and not to the
left.
120
tion, for most of them seem to belong to the Gupta era^. Apart
from the decorative shapes of the medial vowels, the script of
this graffito has close resemblance to %Ay?7Y?s of the Kusana
alphabet c discussed in detail in my palasographical study on
mss. of the Prussian Turfan collection. Alphabet c was compiled
from palm-leaf mss. found at Qizil (SANDER 1968: 60—63,
81—83, PI. 1—8). 772% % is transitional between the Kusana 722%
X and the Gupta onesUf, 3J the last of which is characteristic
of Mathura, the northwestern provinces, and Central Asia. The
transitional form corresponds with that of the basic*ms. for
alphabet c, Cat.-Nr. 649 (SHT 1, PI. 4), which was dated to the
late Kusana period (SANDER 1968: 81—83).
2. On the second graffito in the proposed chronological order
P/. 209 u%SM772<for%sy<3 can be deciphered, what in accordance with Pro-
fessor von HINUBER is a miswriting for p%s22<3^p%sy%. The script
is very close to that of ms. Cat.-No. 19a in the Prussian Turfan
collection (SHT 1, PI. 6), which is the basis of alphabet f in my
palaeographical study (SANDER 1968: 101) and is dated to the
third to fourth century A. D. The similarity between the inscrip-
tion and the ms. is obvious from the ductus, characteristic of
which are extremely long diacritic signs for -z? in s%722 ^ and
the shape of the subscribed -y- in syo (SHT 1, PI. 6, Cat.-No.
19a a2: sy%zf).
P/. 210 3. The style of writing in the graffito following next differs
clearly. The %Ay?7Y?s are written broader than those on the in-
scription above. They are nearly right-angled, a typical feature
of the Mathura style. The graffito'reads: tA72Z2s^72%^ p7Y?pf% 72%%?.
The meaning is not quite clear, perhaps: "Visnusena has reached
14 SALOMON 1982: 95. According to SALOMON the "shell inscriptions"
are often found together with ornate inscriptions at one site (107f.),
which may be of some interest for the decipherment of ornate inscrip-
tions from Chilas (cf. DANI 1983: 77, No. 57). Moreover, shell and
ornate inscriptions have often the same contents as the graffiti of the
Indus valley, they "represent personal names inscribed as 'pilgrims'
records by visitors to the various sites" (97).
15 has a peculiar shape, it is turned to the right side as -1 and not to the
left.
120