Image title: evolution of early script

English text:

Influence on literacy: trans-oceanic parallels in the evolution of early script — The earliest inscriptions carved on natural rock surfaces in Sri Lanka have been approximately dated to 250 BCE. The letters used in these inscriptions are known as the Brahmi script. This script was widely used during the reign of King Ashoka in North and South India and was introduced to Sri Lanka in the late first millennium BCE through the socio-cultural and trade links covering the Indian Ocean. Subsequently, it developed at a slower pace through various dynamics that originated, both locally and internationally. More pronounced pan-regional inspirations derived from the South Indian peninsula during the dawn of the Common Era. Elaborated graphic similarities could be observed between the letters of the Sri Lankan inscriptions and the letters in the contemporary inscriptions of Satavahana and Western Kshatrapa in Maharashtra. This pan-regional interaction was operated through a network of long-distance communication of ideas and practices in the Indian Ocean in which the urban elites of the respective regions played a pivotal role. The pan-oceanic links in the Indian Ocean made an explicit contribution towards the subsequent evolution of the Sinhala script, until it reached its modern stage of maturity

Sinhala text (not proofread):

සාක්ෂරතාවට බලපෑම: මුල්කාලීන අක්ෂරවල වර්ධනයේ අන්තර්-සාමුද්‍රික සමානතා — ස්වභාවික ගල් මතුපිට කොටා තිබෙන ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පුරාණ අභිලේඛන ක්‍රිස්තු පූර්ව 250 ආසන්න කාලයකට දින නිර්ණය කොට තිබේ. මෙම අභිලේඛන ලිවීම සඳහා භාවිත කොට තිබෙන අක්ෂර හඳුන්වන්නේ බ්‍රාහ්මී අක්ෂර යනුවෙනි. මෙම අක්ෂර පද්ධතිය උතුරු ඉන්දියාවේ සහ දකුණු ඉන්දියාවේ සුලභව භාවිත වූයේ අශෝක රජුගේ රාජ්‍ය සමයේදීය. ක්‍රිස්තු පූර්ව පළමුවන සහස්‍රක වර්ෂයේ දෙවන භාගයේදී එය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට හඳුන්වා දෙන ලද්දේ ඉන්දීය සාගරයේ ක්‍රියාත්මක වූ සමාජ-සංස්කෘතික සහ වෙළඳ සබඳතා හරහා ය. අනතුරුව දේශීය සහ අන්තර්ජාතික ගම්‍යතාවල ආනුභාවයෙන් එය මන්දගාමී  ලෙස වර්ධනය විය. මේ අතරින් වඩාත් පැහැදිලි ලෙස පෙනෙන්නේ පොදු යුග වර්ෂ ආරම්භයේදී ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ අක්ෂර සහ මහාරාෂ්ට්‍ර ප්‍රදේශයේ සාතවාහන සහ බටහිර ක්ෂත්‍රප පාලකයින්ගේ අභිලේඛනවල දක්නට තිබෙන රූපික සමානතායි. මෙම අන්තර් කලාපීය සංවාදය ක්‍රියාත්මක වූයේ ඒ ඒ ජාතීන්ට අයත් නාගරික ප්‍රභූන් විසින් සැලකිය යුතු දායකත්වයක් දැක්වූ අන්තර් කලාපීය මට්ටමේ දුරස්ත සන්නිවේදන ජාලයක් හරහාය. සිංහල අක්ෂර එහි වර්තමාන තත්ත්වයට පරිණත වීම තෙක් ඉන්දීය සාගරයේ අන්තර් සාමුද්‍රික සබඳතා මඟින් ඒ වෙත දැක්වූ ආනුභාව කැපී පෙනේ.

Transcription:

sākṣaratāvaṭa balapǣma: mulkālīna akṣaravala vardhanayē antar-sāmudrika samānatā — svabhāvika gal matupiṭa koṭā tibena śrī laṅkāvē purāṇa abhilēkhana kristu pūrva 250 āsanna kālayakaṭa dina nirṇaya koṭa tibē. mema abhilēkhana livīma sandahā bhāvita koṭa tibena akṣara handunvannē brāhmī akṣara yanuveni. mema akṣara paddhatiya uturu indiyāvē saha dakuṇu indiyāvē sulabhava bhāvita vūyē aśōka rajugē rājya samayēdīya. kristu pūrva paḷamuvana sahasraka varṣayē devana bhāgayēdī eya śrī laṅkāvaṭa handunvā dena laddē indīya sāgarayē kriyātmaka vū samāja-saṅskrutika saha veḷanda sabandatā harahā ya. anaturuva dēśīya saha antarjātika gamyatāvala ānubhāvayen eya mandagāmī  lesa vardhanaya viya. mē atarin vaḍāt pæhædili lesa penennē podu yuga varṣa ārambhayēdī śrī laṅkāvē akṣara saha mahārāṣṭra pradēśayē sātavāhana saha baṭahira kṣatrapa pālakayingē abhilēkhanavala daknaṭa tibena rūpika samānatāyi. mema antar kalāpīya saṅvādaya kriyātmaka vūyē ē ē jātīnṭa ayat nāgarika prabhūn visin sælakiya yutu dāyakatvayak dækvū antar kalāpīya maṭṭamē durasta sannivēdana jālayak harahāya. siṅhala akṣara ehi vartamāna tattvayaṭa pariṇata vīma tek indīya sāgarayē antar sāmudrika sabandatā maṅgin ē veta dækvū ānubhāva kæpī penē.

Transcription:

saksharatavata balapama: mulkalina aksharavala vardhanaye antar-samudrika samanata — svabhavika gal matupita kota tibena shri lankave purana abhilekhana kristu purva 250 asanna kalayakata dina nirnaya kota tibe. mema abhilekhana livima sandaha bhavita kota tibena akshara handunvanne brahmi akshara yanuveni. mema akshara paddhatiya uturu indiyave saha dakunu indiyave sulabhava bhavita vuye ashoka rajuge rajya samayediya. kristu purva palamuvana sahasraka varshaye devana bhagayedi eya shri lankavata handunva dena ladde indiya sagaraye kriyatmaka vu samaja-sanskrutika saha velanda sabandata haraha ya. anaturuva deshiya saha antarjatika gamyatavala anubhavayen eya mandagami lesa vardhanaya viya. me atarin vadat pahadili lesa penenne podu yuga varsha arambhayedi shri lankave akshara saha maharashtra pradeshaye satavahana saha batahira kshatrapa palakayinge abhilekhanavala daknata tibena rupika samanatayi. mema antar kalapiya sanvadaya kriyatmaka vuye e e jatinta ayat nagarika prabhun visin salakiya yutu dayakatvayak dakvu antar kalapiya mattame durasta sannivedana jalayak harahaya. sinhala akshara ehi vartamana tattvayata parinata vima tek indiya sagaraye antar samudrika sabandata mangin e veta dakvu anubhava kapi pene.

Automated translation (not verified):

Implications for Literacy: Inter-Oceanic Parallels in the Development of Early Script — Ancient inscriptions in Sri Lanka inscribed on natural stone surfaces have been dated to around 250 BC. The script used to write these inscriptions is called Brahmi script. This script was widely used in North India and South India during the reign of King Ashoka. It was introduced to Sri Lanka in the second half of the first millennium BC through socio-cultural and trade relations in the Indian Ocean. It then grew slowly inspired by domestic and international momentum. Among these, the most obvious are the morphological similarities found in the script of Sri Lanka and the inscriptions of the Satavahana and Western Kshatrapa rulers of Maharashtra at the beginning of the Common Era. This inter-regional dialogue was implemented through a long-distance communication network at the inter-regional level in which the urban elites of the respective nations made a significant contribution. The influence of the Sinhala script on the Indian Ocean until it matured to its present state is remarkable.

Tamil text (not proofread):

எழுத்துக்கள் மீது ஆதிக்கம்: சமுத்திரங்களிடையில் ஆரம்பகால எழுத்துக்களின் வளர்ச்சி — இலங்கையின் வரலாற்றைக்கூறும் இயற்கைக் கல்லில் செதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள எழுத்துக்களை 250 டீஊநு என காலநிர்ணயிக்கப்படிருக்கின்றன. ஆவைகள் எழுதிருக்கும் எழுத்து பிராஹ்மி எழுத்தென கூறப்படுகிறது. இந்த எழுத்துக்கள் வட இந்தியாவின் அசோக மன்னனின் காலத்தில் மிகவும் பாவிக்கப்பட்டன. இவை இந்து சமுத்திரத்தில் இடம்பெற்ற சமூக கலாசார மற்றும் வர்த்தக தொடர்புகள் ஊடாக கிறிஸ்துவுக்கு முன் முதலாவது நூற்றாண்டில் இலங்கைக்கு அறிமுகப்படுத்தப்பட்டது. உள்ளுர் மற்றும் சர்வதேச ரீதியாக வந்த பல ஆதிக்கங்களில், இவை மந்தகதியில் வளர்ச்சியடைந்தது. பொது யுகம் ஆரம்பப்பகுதியில் தென் இந்திய அர்தத்துவீபத்தில் கண்டங்களிடையில் மிக தெளிவான விளைவுகள் காணக்கூடியதாக உள்ளன. இலங்கையின் எழுத்துக்கள் மற்றும் மகாராஷ்டிரா மாநிலத்தின் மேற்கு க்ஷத்திரப மற்றும் சாதவாஹன கல் வெட்டுகளில் உள்ள எழுத்துக்கள் சமமான உருவங்களை கொணடுள்ளது என தெளிவாக காணக்கூடியதாக உள்ளது. இப்பிரசங்கம் இந்து சமுத்திரத்தில் ஒரு வலைப்பின்னலாக நடந்த அறிவித்தல்கள் ஊடாக நடைபெற்றது. அதுக்காக நாட்டைச் சேர்ந்த பிரமுகர்கள் முக்கியபங்கெடுத்து நடந்தன. தற்காலிக நூதன சுவரூபத்தை அடையும் வரை சிங்கள மொழியின் வளர்ச்சிக்காக கண்டங்களிடையில் உள்ள தொடர்பினை எந்த அளவிற்கு காரணியாக அமைந்தது என்பதை ஒரு தெனிவான கருத்தாகும்.

Transcription:

eḻuttukkaḷ mītu ātikkam: camuttiraṅkaḷiṭaiyil ārampakāla eḻuttukkaḷiṉ vaḷarcci — ilaṅkaiyiṉ varalāṟṟaikkūṟum iyaṟkaik kallil cetukkappaṭṭuḷḷa eḻuttukkaḷai 250 ṭīūnu eṉa kālanirṇayikkappaṭirukkiṉṟaṉa. āvaikaḷ eḻutirukkum eḻuttu pirāhmi eḻutteṉa kūṟappaṭukiṟatu. inta eḻuttukkaḷ vaṭa intiyāviṉ acōka maṉṉaṉiṉ kālattil mikavum pāvikkappaṭṭaṉa. ivai intu camuttirattil iṭampeṟṟa camūka kalācāra maṟṟum varttaka toṭarpukaḷ ūṭāka kiṟistuvukku muṉ mutalāvatu nūṟṟāṇṭil ilaṅkaikku aṟimukappaṭuttappaṭṭatu. uḷḷur maṟṟum carvatēca rītiyāka vanta pala ātikkaṅkaḷil, ivai mantakatiyil vaḷarcciyaṭaintatu. potu yukam ārampappakutiyil teṉ intiya artattuvīpattil kaṇṭaṅkaḷiṭaiyil mika teḷivāṉa viḷaivukaḷ kāṇakkūṭiyatāka uḷḷaṉa. ilaṅkaiyiṉ eḻuttukkaḷ maṟṟum makārāṣṭirā mānilattiṉ mēṟku kṣattirapa maṟṟum cātavāhaṉa kal veṭṭukaḷil uḷḷa eḻuttukkaḷ camamāṉa uruvaṅkaḷai koṇaṭuḷḷatu eṉa teḷivāka kāṇakkūṭiyatāka uḷḷatu. ippiracaṅkam intu camuttirattil oru valaippiṉṉalāka naṭanta aṟivittalkaḷ ūṭāka naṭaipeṟṟatu. atukkāka nāṭṭaic cērnta piramukarkaḷ mukkiyapaṅkeṭuttu naṭantaṉa. taṟkālika nūtaṉa cuvarūpattai aṭaiyum varai ciṅkaḷa moḻiyiṉ vaḷarccikkāka kaṇṭaṅkaḷiṭaiyil uḷḷa toṭarpiṉai enta aḷaviṟku kāraṇiyāka amaintatu eṉpatai oru teṉivāṉa karuttākum.

Transcription:

ezhuthukkal mithu athikkam: samuthirangalidaiyil arambagala ezhuthukkalin valarchi — ilangaiyin varalarraikkurum iyarkaig kallil sethukkappattulla ezhuthukkalai 250 diunu ena kalanirnayikkappadirukkinrana. avaigal ezhuthirukkum ezhuthu pirahmi ezhuthena kurappadugirathu. intha ezhuthukkal vada inthiyavin asoga mannanin kalathil migavum pavikkappattana. ivai inthu samuthirathil idamberra samuga kalasara marrum varthaga thodarpugal udaga kiristhuvukku mun muthalavathu nurrandil ilangaikku arimugappaduthappattathu. ullur marrum sarvathesa rithiyaga vantha pala athikkangalil, ivai manthagathiyil valarchiyadainthathu. pothu yugam arambappaguthiyil then inthiya arthathuvipathil kandangalidaiyil miga thelivana vilaivugal kanakkudiyathaga ullana. ilangaiyin ezhuthukkal marrum magarashdira manilathin merku kshathirapa marrum sathavahana kal vettugalil ulla ezhuthukkal samamana uruvangalai konadullathu ena thelivaga kanakkudiyathaga ullathu. ippirasangam inthu samuthirathil oru valaippinnalaga nadantha arivithalkal udaga nadaiperrathu. athukkaga nattais serntha piramugarkal mukkiyapangeduthu nadanthana. tharkaliga nuthana suvarupathai adaiyum varai singala mozhiyin valarchikkaga kandangalidaiyil ulla thodarpinai entha alavirku karaniyaga amainthathu enpathai oru thenivana karuthagum.

Automated translation (not verified):

Dominion over Letters: The Development of Early Writing Among the Oceans — Natural stone carvings that chronicle Sri Lanka's history have been dated to 250 Teunu. The script written by the gods is called the Brahmi script. These scripts were widely used during the reign of King Ashoka of North India. They were introduced to Sri Lanka in the 1st century BC through socio-cultural and trade contacts in the Indian Ocean. Among the many dominances that have come, both domestically and internationally, these have developed in recession. The most obvious intercontinental effects are visible in the South Indian subcontinent at the beginning of the Common Era. It is clear that the script of Ceylon and the western Kshatraba and Satavahana stone-cuts of Maharashtra state have similar figures. This preaching was carried out through a network of announcements across the Indian Ocean. For that, prominent people from the country played an important role. It is an interesting consideration to what extent inter-continental contact was a factor in the development of the Sinhalese language until it reached a temporary modern form.

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Maritime Museum in Galle (Sri Lanka) which include objects recovered from the 2nd century B.C. Godawaya shipwreck. The Maritime Museum is housed in Galle's historic Dutch warehouse (built in 1671) and opened its doors on May 9, 1992. The Maritime Archaeology Museum is serving as a centre of education for various groups of visitors and researchers of Southern region of Sri Lanka.