First text on rock wall by A Vương river in Tây Giang (C. 199), 6th/7th century CE
Version: (3e0b233), last modified (8a37873).
Translation
Buffaloes must not pass (or: be too numerous) here!
Bibliography
The inscription was tentatively deciphered, though not translated, in Wittayarat 2004. It is re-edited here from photographs and after autopsy of the stone in March 2026.
Primary
Wittayarat, Daoruang. 2004. “Les inscriptions rupestres de Samo (inédites) : une tentative de déchiffrement, de traduction et de datation.” Lettre de la société des amis du Champa ancien 11, pp. 14–17. Page 14, item A.
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<p><lb n="1"/>karvvāv· jmāy· la<lb n="2" break="no"/>lo nīy·</p>
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<p>Buffaloes must not pass <supplied reason="explanation">or: be too numerous</supplied> here!</p>
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<p>The word <foreign>karvvāv</foreign> must be a variant of the word that appears as <foreign>kravāv</foreign> or <foreign>kruvāv</foreign> elsewhere in Old Cham, meaning <q>buffalo</q> (Modern Cham <foreign>kabau</foreign>, <foreign>kubau</foreign>; Malay <foreign>kerbau</foreign>). On the word <foreign>jmāy</foreign> that expresses a negative imperative (prohibitive) meaning in Old Cham, see <bibl><ptr target="bib:Griffiths2025_01"/><citedRange unit="page">62, 65</citedRange></bibl>. The word <foreign>lalo</foreign>, with its apheretic equivalent <foreign>lo</foreign>, is recorded in Modern Cham (<bibl><ptr target="bib:Aymonier+Cabaton1906_01"/><citedRange unit="page">439, 448</citedRange></bibl>) to have meanings like <q>in great numbers, excessively</q>. It is obviously cognate with the Malay base <foreign>lalu</foreign> <q>pass</q>, from which is derived <foreign>terlalu</foreign> <q>excessively</q>. We can thus interpret <foreign>lalo</foreign> here in two ways, either as <q>to pass</q> or as <q>to be excessive in number</q>.</p>
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<b>lalō</b>. Voir <i>lō</i>. Beaucoup, en quantité, en grand nombre, multitude, innombrable. — <i>drap lalō</i>, une infinité de choses.</div>
<b>lō</b>, <b>lơ̄</b> (bahn. <i>lơ</i>; čuru <i>lơ</i>, <i>rơ</i>; jar. <i>lō</i>; kančo, rad. <i>lu</i>). Beaucoup; bien; plusieurs; nombre; un très grand nombre; excessivement. — <i>drap lō</i>, de nombreuses affaires, de grands biens. <i>ralō ḅơṅ lō</i>, maintes fois. <i>lō čriḥ</i>, en masse. <i>raṅ lō lō</i>, tous ensemble, en grand nombre, en foule. <i>lō kač</i>, excessif, exagéré, démesuré. <i>ḍauk lō</i> (ann. <i>đṓc lăm</i>), désirer ardemment, convoiter.</div>
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<p>The inscription was tentatively deciphered, though not translated, in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Wittayarat2004_01"/></bibl>. It is re-edited here from photographs and after autopsy of the stone in March 2026.</p>
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Commentary
The word karvvāv must be a variant of the word that appears as kravāv or kruvāv elsewhere in Old Cham, meaning “buffalo” (Modern Cham kabau, kubau; Malay kerbau). On the word jmāy that expresses a negative imperative (prohibitive) meaning in Old Cham, see Griffiths 2025, pp. 62, 65. The word lalo, with its apheretic equivalent lo, is recorded in Modern Cham (Aymonier and Cabaton 1906, pp. 439, 448) to have meanings like “in great numbers, excessively”. It is obviously cognate with the Malay base lalu “pass”, from which is derived terlalu “excessively”. We can thus interpret lalo here in two ways, either as “to pass” or as “to be excessive in number”.