VATTEZHUTHU SCRIPT (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art & Culture)

Context: Archaeologists have uncovered a Vattezhuthu script and eight Tamil inscriptions at the century-old Thalikiswarar temple in Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu.

Vattezhuthu Script

• About: The Vatteluttu script first appeared in stone inscriptions in southern India dating from the 4th century AD.
• Origin: It probably developed from the Tamil-Brahmi script, a variant of the Brahmi script used to write Old Tamil between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD.
• Meaning of the Name: The name Vatteluttu is thought to mean either 'rounded script,' 'northern script,' or 'chiseled script.'
• Evolution into Modern Scripts: The modern Tamil alphabet developed from the Pallava script, created in the 4th century AD, with some letters based on Vatteluttu.
• Continued Use in Kerala: Vatteluttu continued to be used until the 15th century, eventually evolving into the Malayalam script with some letters borrowed from the Grantha script.
• Development of Koleluttu Script: Vatteluttu also developed into the Koleluttu script, used by Christians and Muslims in Kerala until the 19th century.
• Inscriptions in Sri Lanka: Vatteluttu script dating from the 5th-8th century AD have been found near Trincomalee in northeastern Sri Lanka.
• Notable Features

oType of Writing System: Abugida / Syllabic Alphabet

oWriting Direction: Left to right in horizontal lines

oUsed to Write: Tamil and Malayalam