Dataset of Early Tamil Epigraphical Evidence for Fractional Terminology in Land Measurement

1

EI 17.16

Jaṭilavarman, alias Varaguṇa I

(Pāṇḍya)

3rd (770)

Velvikkudi plates

Endowment given to the engraver of royal order

154-155: Iraṇṭu mā-c cey[y]um oru puṉcey[y]um

mā as unit of land

2

14.45

Śrivallabha

(Pāṇḍya)

no year (c. 815-862)

Sittanavasal, Kulattur taluk, Jaina temple

Gift of land for priests of temple

7. º meḻukkuppuṟam oru mūṉṟu māvum paḻukkaṟa muṟaiyāl vaḻipaṭuvāṉukk' araikkāṇi * mamai * nōkki

kāṇi and mā seem to be used as units of land

3

14.78

Śrivallabha

(Pāṇḍya)

46th (857)

Chinnamanur, Periyakulam taluk, Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa-perumaḷ temple

Levying fine for wrong crop production

2: [vi]ḷaippār māttāl pattu kācu taṇṭamum

mā as unit of land

4

14.17

Māṟañcaṭaiyaṉ, alias Varaguṇa II

(Pāṇḍya)

2nd (863)

Vijayanarayanam, Nanguneri taluk, Manōmaṇīśvara temple

Gift of lands to temple

16-17: Immuppatumā ni[la]ttilum

18-20: vaitta pattu m(ā ni)lamu nīkki Itaṉuk(ku)-p pattu mā nilamuñ

mā as unit of land

We follow Krishnan's identification of Māṟañcaṭaiyāṉ with Varaguṇa II Krishnan, K. G. 2002. Inscriptions of the Early Pandyas: From c. 300 B.C. to 984 A.D. New Delhi: Northern Book Centre. p. 33 (hereafter: IEP)

5

14.19

Māṟañcaṭaiyaṉ, alias Varaguṇa II

(Pāṇḍya)

4th (c. 867)

Tirukkurungudi, Nanguneri taluk, on a stone belonging to Nambi temple

Sale of land for provision of offerings

31-33: (ni)la(m) mummāvarai araikk(āṇi)yum

62-63: nilaṉ mākāṇi Araikkāṇiyum

79-80: nilaṉ kālē(y*) kāṇiyum

89-90: Ikkālē kāṇi-c ceyyum

Fractions given for measurement of land

mā as unit of land

The epigraphist assigns the record to the reign of Varaguṇa I on palaeographical grounds. However, Krishnan (IEP, p. 37) attributes it instead to Parāntaka II, which I follow. Gillet, Valérie. “Devotion and Dominion: Ninth-Century Donations of a Pāṇḍyan King in Temples along the River Kāvēri.” Indo-Iranian Journal 60, no. 3 (2017): 219–283, p. 225) stresses the difficulty of securely identifying many of the records relating to the first Māṟañcaṭaiyaṉ and his grandson.

6

12.58

Nandivarman III (Pallava)

22nd (c. 868)

Tiruvaigavur, Papanasam taluk, Bilvānātheśvara temple

Gift of land for offerings and a lamp to the temple

6-7: nilam 1{arai} iṉṉilam oṉṟaraiyum

Use of mathematical notation for half (arai)

Epigraphist wrongly transcribes the symbols for 1 and 1/2 as kaṟa, which is corrected by Mahalingam, T. V. 1988. Inscriptions of the Pallavas. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research, p. 419. Copy of an older inscription (present version seems to be of the 11th century, according to Mahalingam)

7

6.446

Māṟañcaṭaiyāṉ, alias Varaguṇa II

(Pāṇḍya)

10th (873)

Sendalai, Thanjavur taluk, Sundareśvara temple

Gift of land to piṭāri

10: nilam Araikāṇi-k kaṭaṉ

Use of kāṇi unclear

8

7.524

Nandivarman III (Pallava)

no year (c. 846-869)

Tiruchennampoondi, Tañjavur taluk, Śaḍaiyar temple

Gift of gold for a lamp

16-18: koṇṭa bhūmi nilaṅ kāl

33-36: iñnilattukku nāṟṟukkāl orumā

mā as unit of land

Damaged

9

5.572

Nṛpatuṅka-varman (Pallava)

21st (c. 890)

Kandiyur, Thiruvaiyaru taluk, Vīraṭṭanīśvara temple

Gift of land

10. āka orumā-c ceyyum [Āka patiṉo]rumā-c ceyyum

mā as unit of land (1 mā)

10

12.80

Nṛpatuṅka-varman (Pallava)

2* (889-95)

Pillaippakkam, Sripperumbudur taluk, Ruined Śiva temple

Gift of land for the offerings dedicated to the god

2: kuṭutta nilam puṟampāṭṭile (Ā)ṟumā nilam Ittevarai vaḻipaṭum

mā as unit of land

11

4.531

Nṛpatuṅka-varman (Pallava)

23 (892)

Lalgudi, Lalgudi taluk, Saptaṛṣīśvara temple

Sale of land to temple

8-10: ... nilamāvatu vaṭavūr nāṉmāvaraiyum * * (muṉṟumāvum itaṉ kiḻai nā)[ṉ]māvaraiyum itaṉ kīḻakkāṟ ceyum itan kīḻai mūṉṟumā(vum) itaṉ kiḻai araimāvum āka-t taṭi āṟiṉāl nilam vēli-yum

mā as unit of land

Earliest epigr. ref. mentioning Māmallapuram

12

12.81

Nṛpatuṅka-varman (Pallava)

no year (c. 869-895)

Pillaippakkam, Sripperumbudur taluk, Ruined Śiva temple

Gift of land to temple

2: ceṟuvu eḻumāvuṅ kuṭuttēṉ

mā as unit of land

Damaged

13

12.84

Aparājita-varman

3rd (c. 898)

Puduppakkam, Kañcipuram taluk, Śelliyamman temple

Remission of taxes

13:Āṟ' araimā * * * *

mā as unit of land

Fragmentary

1

14.40

Māṟañcaṭaiyaṉ, alias Parāntaka II

(Pāṇḍya)

41st (904)

Dalapatisamudram, Nanguneri taluk, Pillar lyingin Paṟacēri of village

Gift of land to temple

74-78: 2 nilaṉ {mā}{kāṇi} taṇṇīrt- tuṭavai taṭi + nilaṉ {mukkāṇi} Eṟṟittaṭi 3 nilaṉ iraṇṭumā

Fractions given for measurement of land

Use of mathematical notation for 1/20 (mā), 1/80 (kāṇi), and 3/80 (mukkāṇi)

2

19.25

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

2nd (909)

Tiruvavaduthurai, Mayuram taluk, Gomuktīṡvara temple

Sale of land by the sabhai for the maintenance of a coconut garden and a flower garden

2: potunilam-āṉa nālmā-c ce((y))yum

mā as unit of land

Epigraphist assigns this record to Parāntaka I.

3

19.190

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

7th (914)

Tiruvavaduthurai, Mayuram taluk, Gomuktīṡvara temple

Sale of two mās and odd for 15 kācu made by the sabhai of Cattaṉūr to Omāci Oṟṟiyūraṉ Kūttaṉ

9: ni⟨la⟩m 1/4+ 3/80 + (1/2 *1/320) kuḻi 1/4 + 3/16 In-nilam kālē mukkāṇi Arai mun=tirikai-k kuḻi Oṉpatu mākkāṇiyil

Use of mathematical notation for quarter (kāl), half (arai), one-three-hundred-twentieth (1/320), one-twentieth (3/20), and one-eightieth (1/80). Combination of fractions with numerals to form other symbols, such as 3/20, 3/80 (?)

Another inscr. fr. Tiruvāvaṭutuṟai has a similar beginning to this inscription, which can be found in https://dharmalekha.info/texts/INSTiruvavatuturai10003. On paleaographical grounds, we have dated this inscription to the 10th century

4

5.571

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

11th (918)

Kandiyur, Thiruvaiyaru taluk, Vīraṭṭānīśvara temple

Gift of land

7: nilattil mipilāṟṟu koṭṭakan=tu Aṟumā ce[y*]il Ivaḷ

mā as unit of land; cey as type of land

5

14.56

Māṟañcaṭaiyaṉ, alias Rājasiṁha (Pandya)

34d (922)

Ambasamudram, Ambasamudram taluk, Tirumūlanātha temple

Gift of lands for food offerings

Aññāḻi-k kālā(l) māttāl kalaṉē-y tūṇi

mā as unit of land

6

32app.2.2

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

23rd (930)

Tiruchendurai, Tiruchirappalli taluk, Chandraśekhara temple

Gift of tax-free land for food offerings

4: nilam oṉṟaraiyē yoru mā mukkāṇi araikkāṇi muntirikaiyum tūpparuppu nāḻi nel

7: nilam mukkāṇi muntirikaiyāl nālkalaṉē

Use of muntirikai

7

23.330

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

24th (931)

Tiruvisalur, Kumbhakonam taluk, Śivayoganāthasvāmin temple

Sale of land prob. for the benefit of the temple

3: nāṅkaḷ vilaikoṇṭuṭaiya araikkāl ceyyum

No unit of land

8

17.636

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

29th (936)

Srinivasanallur, Musiri taluk, Kuraṅganātha temple

Sale of land to te. from taxes from villages

7-12: nilam vayaṉ nilattuḷ ālañcey ({mummmā}{iraṇṭumā}{kāṇi})yum ka(ḷā)ñcey {unknown}{kāṇi}{muntirikai}({kīḻ}){iraṇṭumā} iraṇṭu māveṉṉum piyaru*{kāṇi}{mukkāl?}yum kiḻpirāṟṟu {mukkāṇi?}{kāṇi}{muntirikai}yum puṉṉai vākkāliṉ teṉvāykkāl {araimā?}{kāṇi}yum Arai(ca)ṅkāl {iraṇṭumā}{arai}yum kuṇṭai vaḷḷivākkāliṉ vaṭavākkāl {kāṇi}{mummākāṇi?}{arai}yum Āka nilam 1{mukkāṇi}{muntirikai}{arai} oṉṟēy mukkāṇi muntirikaiyarai nilamum

Use of mathematical notation for quarter (kāl), half (arai), one-twentieth (mā), one-eightieth (1/80), one-three-hundred-twentieth (1/320), one-twentieth (3/20), and one-eightieth (1/80).

Earliest attestation of kīḻ.

The last symbol here transcribed (ends of line 11-line 12) seems to be the symbol for kīḻ and then the symbol for arai. The symbols here seem to have an expression that is one fraction longer than the written portion. Either the engraver omitted what seems to have been [kīḻ]arai or the epigraphist transliterated the notation for arai (beginning of line 12) with two different symbols. It remains to be confirmed in situ.

9

5.547

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

31st (938)

Tiruvaiyaru, Tiruvaiyaru taluk, Panchanadīśvara temple

Gift of a land by a queen

7: puṉcey mēlpāṟku kīḻ eḻumāviṟ maṭuṅkāṟ ceyyum vāykkālum

Use of kīḻ is unclear, but probably used as direction

10

IEP 90

Vīrapāṇḍya (Pandya)

3rd (940)

Sivakasi Plates, Chennai Museum

Establishment of brahmadeyam

69: pattu māvum

mā as unit of land

11

5.711

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

37th (944)

Tiruvidaimarudur, Kumbhakonam taluk, Mahalingasvamin temple

Gift of land for a lamp

16-17: Araikālum Itaṉ kiḻai mākāṇiyum Āka nilam muṉṟumā mukkāṇi-c ceyyuṅ koṇṭu

Fractions included, but no complex operation present.

12

24.7

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

39th (946)

Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli taluk, Raṅganāthasvāmin temple

Grant of land for food offerings

22-24: nilam uṇṇilam oḻiviṉṟi mukkālēy muṉṟumā

mā as fraction of land

13

14.84-85

Vīrapāṇḍya (Pandya)

9th (946)

Kilmattur, Madurai taluk, Maṇikaṇṭheśvara temple

Construction of stone temple and arrangement of worship therein.

84.3-4: nirnilaṉ Araiyē Iraṇṭumā (ni) * * * raiyē Araikkālālum Ittevarkkuº

85.2: nilaṉ Oṉṟē-y nāṉmāvaraiyuñ cuṭṭiº

mā as fraction of land

14

24.9

Parakesari-varman, alias Parāntaka I

(Chola)

41st (948)

Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli taluk, Devasthanam museum

Gift of land for offerings

16-17: nilam eṭṭumāvum

20-22: vaṭakkum nāṟṟukkāl Arakkāṇi-y iraṇtukkum araimā-v iraṇtukkum

24-26: nilam kālē-y arai māvum āka Iraṇṭu kiṭakk' aṭaiyumāy ñilam araiyē((y))mum māvaraiyāl

mā as fraction of land

Mentions the measure rājakesari (same as in Thanjavur inscriptions)

15

34.103

Rājakesari-varman, alias (possibly) Gaṇḍarāditya (Chola)

5th (965)

Tiruverumbur, Trichy taluk, Pipīlikēśvara temple

Endowment of land for feeding brahmanas

11-12: tuṇṭaṅkuṟaiya kālē Arai māvum Icce((y))

13: nilam Iraṇṭumā mukkāṇiyum...

14-15: nilam tuṇṭaṅkuṟaiya Araimāvum devatāṉam

17-18: cuvaraṉ dvādaśa(k)kattu Iraṇṭumāvum ko(ḻaiku)rai (I)raṇṭumāvum vetivēḷ Iraṇṭumāka* * *

mā as fraction of land

16

13.141

Rājakesari-varman, alias (possibly) Gaṇḍarāditya (Chola)

6th (966)

Palur, Trichi taluk, Sundareśvara temple

Endowment of land for two singers of tiruppatiyam

5: nilan {arai} Itaṟk' ellai

10: nilam pattu(māvum uṇṇi)lam oḻiviṉṟi

mā as fraction of land

17

32.43

Parakesari-varman, alias Uttamacōḻa

(Chola)

7th (976)

Tiruvisalur, Kumbhakonam taluk, Śivayoganāthasvāmin temple

Buying of land for feeding brahmanas

3: nilamā {naṉkumā?} {mummākāṇi?} {nilam?/kku?} * * ... {muṉṟumā} {araikkāl} muṉṟumā Araikkā(linu)kku

Notations for fractions

mā as fraction of land

18

3.151/151A

Parakesari-varman, alias Uttamacōḻa

(Chola)

7th (976)

Konerirajapuram, Mayiladuthurai taluk, Umāmaheśvara temple

Refers to stone building by queen Mahādēvi

151.119: nilan iraṇ(ṭa)raiyē-y nāṉku mā mukkāṇi muntirikai-k kiḻ orumāvarai muntirikai-yum

135-137: kāṇi-y arai(kkā)ṇi-(k)-kiḻ (kāl)ē-y A(r)ai((y))māvarai-k (kā)ṇi muntirik(ai)yum Āka I[t]tirunallattu nilam Onpat(ē)* * * * * (n)tirikai-k ki(ḻ ar)aiyē(y) mākāṇi-(y āka) veṇṇāṭṭu

151A.12: Orumā muntirikai-k kiḻ araiyē-y orumā mukkāṇi turuttiyil (E)ḻumā-(v a)raikkāṇi muntirikai-k kiḻ nāṉkumā-(k) kiḻ* * Oṉṟarai

69: nāṉmāvarai mun=tirikai

70: pūṅkuṭiyil araiyē mummāvarai-y araikkāṇi mun=tirikai putukkupuṟam

mā as fraction of land

Addition and substraction of small fractions

Use of kīḻ

19

32.app.2.64

Parakesari-varman, alias Uttamacōḻa

(Chola)

9th (978)

Kovil Devarayan Pettai, Papanasam taluk, Matsyapurīśvara temple

Endowment of lands for the merit of queen Sembiyan's son

41: ni[la]m {kāl}{vēli?}m

51: nilam {arai}{mummā}yum

81-83: teṟk' aṭain=ta {kāl}{vēli?}māvil meṟkk' aṭaiya {mummā}vum

Notations for fractions

mā as fraction of land

20

3.139

Parakesari-varman, alias Uttamacōḻa

(Chola)

14th (983)

Andanallur, Srirangam taluk, Vaṭatīrthanātha temple

Grant of land to temple

7-8: ceṉnaṭaikku Oṉṟē-y kālē Aṟaimāvum [tiru]viḷakku

10: kaṇṭikai Oṉṟukku mummāvaraiyum

11: tirumeḻukku muṉṟukku eḻumāvaraiyum

mā as fraction of land

21

19.389

Parakesari-varman, alias Uttama

(Chola)

16th (987)

Uṟaiyur, Trichi taluk, Pañchaneśvara temple

Gift of land for offerings

19: kiṭakkai nilamum Āy Iraṇṭumā Ivv-iraṇṭu māvil vanta pōkam koṇṭu uttiramayaṉam

mā as unit of land

22

17.617

Rājakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

7th (992)

Tiruvarur, Nagappatinam taluk, Tyāgarājasvāmin temple

Building of stone shrine and setting up two images

3: mañcāṭiyu mukkāṇi-y āka Ivvūr

mā as fraction of weight

Only inscription found so far where weight is also measured using kāṇi (1/80). It matches measured weight in SII No. 5 (see, for instance, line 5).

23

13.170

Rājajakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

7th (992)

Kuttalam, Mayiladuthurai taluk, Uktadeśvarar temple

Provision for recitation of Vedas and tiruppatiyam (10 fragments)

1.12: nilam mukkālē-y nā* * * * *

3.5-8: nilam patiṉeḻē-y nāṉkumā mukkāṇi-k kiḻ Araimuntirikaiyumaṉai muppattāṟum

3.32-33: nilam patiṉ muṉṟē-y Eṭṭumā mukkāṇi-k kiḻ Arai muntirikaiyu*

mā as fraction of land

use of kīḻ

24

41.124

Rājakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

10th (995)

Tiruppudaimarutur, Ambasamudram taluk, Pūtarjaneśvara temple,

Sale of pieces of land by some brahmanas

17: Akappaṭṭa nilam mūṉrumā innilam muṉṟumāvilum

19: nilam Irumāvaraiyum

21-22: ni(lam) kāṇi muntirikaiyum

23: nilam kāṇi mun(tirikaiyu)m vēmpaṉnilamum… Ivv-araimāvarai-k kāṇi nilamum āka Irumāvarai innilam irumāvarai nilamum

mā as fraction of land

25

41.117

Rājakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

11th (996)

Tiruvalisvaram, Ambasamudram taluk, Valīśvara temple,

Gift of land for different expenses needed for services at temple

2: kāṇi araikkāṇi

3-4: nilaṉ mukkālē-y mūṉṟumāvilum araiyēkāṇi muntirikai nilam* * * 4: Innilam Araiyē-y kāṇi muntirikai… Innilaṉ araiyē kāṇi muntirikaiyum

9: nilaṉ mūṉṟumā mukkāṇiyum caṅkiraṇṭum

Addition and substraction of fractions

26

38.255

Rājakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

11th (996)

Kattur, Ponneri taluk, Tiruvalisvara temple

Ūrār of Kāṭṭūr sold two pieces of tax-free land

6-7: Orumāvum ke* *

8: kiḻakk' aṭaiya kāṇi māvum villi

mā as unit of land

kāṇi here refers to the hereditary rights of land.

27

36.134

Rājakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

17th (1002)

Thenkarai, Nilakkottai taluk, Mūlasthāneśvara temple

Gift of lands to temple

39-41: nilam Iraṇṭē-y mukkālē mukkāṇi Araikkāṇiyum

45-47: nilam vēli innilam vēliyilum pattumā nilamum

mā as fraction of land and unit of land?

28

4.547

Rājakesari-varman, (Chola)

6th (c. 10th century)

Tiruverumbūr, Trichy taluk, Pipīlikēśvara temple

Endowment of land for feeding brahmanas

8-9: mūṉṟumāvil-k kiḻakk' aṭaiya orumāvum Āka nāṉmā-c ce[y]kkum

mā as fraction of land

29

34.101

Rājakesari-varman, (Chola)

7th (c. second half of 10th century?)

Tiruverumbūr, Trichy taluk, Pipīlikēśvara temple

Big endowment of land by a brahmana for daily feeding of sivayogis and brahmanas

3-4: nilamā(ṟu)mā

5: vaṭakkaṭaiya Irumā nīkki Itaṉōṭum aṭaiya cekkāccey mūṉṟumāvum Iv(vū)r

6-7: nilam pattu-c ceyyum nīkki niṉṟa (nilam) 4 + {arai} nāṉkaraiyum muṉ cuṭṭappaṭṭa mūṉṟumāvum Āka nilam 4 +{arai} + {muṉṟumā}

mā as fraction of land

Notations in fractions

30

8.521

Rājarakesari-varman

(Chola)

6th (second half of 10th/first half 11th?)

Gudimallam, Gudiyattam taluk

Gift of land for offerings, to an image set up by king Gaṇḍarāditya

23-25: Añpatu kuḻi koṇṭatu Orumāvāka Āyiraṅ kuḻi koṇṭatu oru paṭṭi-y āka

mā as unit of land

50 kuḻi = 1 mā; 1000 kuḻi = 1 paṭṭi

31

13.183

Rājakesari-varman, (Chola)

8th (second half of 10th/first half 11th?)

Palur, Trichi taluk, Sundareśvara temple, NORTH WALL, CENTRAL SHRINE

Gift of land for the bathing of the god in the temple

18-20: akappaṭṭa nilam eḻumā eḻumāvum uṇṇilam oḻiviṉṟi viṟṟukkuṭuttu

mā as unit of land

double eḻumā

32

34.101

Rājarakesari-varman

(Chola)

7th (second half of 10th/first half 11th?)

Tiruverumbūr, Trichy taluk, Pipīlikēśvara temple

Big endowment of land by a brahmana for daily feeding of sivayogis and brahmanas

5: nilattilum āka vaṭakkaṭaiya Irumā nīkki itaṉōṭum aṭaiya cekkā-c cey mūṉṟumāvum

6-7: Aivēliyil Ivaṉē Ivv-ūr tiruvāyppāṭi śrīkṛṣṇarkku kuṭutta nilam pattu ceyyum nīkki niṉṟa (nilam) 4 {arai} nāṉkaraiyum muṉcuṭṭapaṭṭa muṉṟumāvum āka nilam 4 {arai} {arai} {muṉṟumā}{vēli/cey}li nāṉkaraiyē muṉṟumāc ceyyum

mā as fraction of land

33

4.549

Rājarakesari-varman

(Chola)

6th (second half of 10th/first half 11th?)

Tiruverumbur, Trichy taluk, Pipīlikēśvara temple

Decision of the sabhai to give lands

aṭakkaṭaiya mūṉṟumāvil-k kiḻakk' aṭaiya orumāvum āka

mā as unit of land

34

No. 44 (Cane)

Rājajakesari-varman, alias Rājarāja I (Chola)

15th (1000)

Tirumaṅkalam, Lalgudi taluk, Sāmavedīśvara temple

Gift of land made tax-free to temple

32-33: nūṟu kuḻi koṇṭatu Orumā-v āka van=ta nilam Eḻu māvaraiyum

34-35: nilam muvēliyē mukkālē mākāṇiyum

mā as fraction of land and unit of land

From Cane, Nicolas. 2017. “Cempiyaṉ-Mahādevī, reine et dévote: un ‘personnage épigraphique’ du Xe siècle.” PhD diss., École pratique des hautes études (EPHE). No. 44.