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10 <titleStmt>
· <title>Tārācuram/Darasuram, Airavateśvara temple, labels to Nāyaṉmārs’ frieze</title>
· <respStmt>
· <resp>author of digital edition</resp>
· <persName ref="part:emfr">
15 <forename>Emmanuel</forename>
· <surname>Francis</surname>
· </persName>
· </respStmt>
· </titleStmt>
20 <publicationStmt>
· <authority>DHARMA</authority>
· <pubPlace>Paris</pubPlace>
· <idno type="filename">DHARMA_INSTamilNadu00616</idno>
· <availability>
25 <licence target="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">
· <p>This work is licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported
· Licence. To view a copy of the licence, visit
· https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to
· Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View,
30 California, 94041, USA.</p>
· <p>Copyright (c) 2019-2025 by Emmanuel Francis.</p>
· </licence>
· </availability>
· <date from="2019" to="2025">2019-2025</date>
35 </publicationStmt>
· <sourceDesc>
· <msDesc>
· <msIdentifier>
· <repository>DHARMAbase</repository>
40 <idno/>
· </msIdentifier>
· <msContents>
· <summary>Labels engraved and/or painted above panels of the Nāyaṉmārs' frieze.</summary>
· </msContents>
45 <physDesc>
· <handDesc>
· <p/>
· </handDesc>
· </physDesc>
50 </msDesc>
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· <encodingDesc>
· <projectDesc>
55 <p>The project DHARMA has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC)
· under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant
· agreement no 809994).</p>
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· ERC-DHARMA whose data are open to the public.</p>
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65 <prefixDef ident="part" matchPattern="([a-z]+)" replacementPattern="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/erc-dharma/project-documentation/master/DHARMA_IdListMembers_v01.xml#$1">
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70 </encodingDesc>
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75 <text xml:space="preserve">
· <body>
·
· <div type="edition" xml:lang="tam-Latn" rendition="class:tamil maturity:vernacular">
·
80 <div type="textpart" n="1"><head>Label (painted) to panel G1</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/><gap reason="illegible" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
· </p>
· </div>
85
· <div type="textpart" n="2"><head>Label (painted) to panel N1</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>tirun<choice><orig>i</orig><reg>ī</reg></choice>la<unclear>kaṇṭaṉ</unclear>
· </p>
90 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="3"><head>Label (painted) to panel N2</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/><gap reason="illegible" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
95 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="4"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N3</head>
· <p>
100 <lb n="1"/>Iḷaiyamāṟaṅkuṭi māṟar katai
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="5"><head>Label (painted) to panel N4</head>
105 <p>
· <lb n="1"/><gap reason="illegible" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
· </p>
· </div>
·
110 <div type="textpart" n="6"><head>Label (painted) to panel N5</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
115
· <div type="textpart" n="7"><head>Label (painted) to panel N6</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
120 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="8"><head>Label (painted) to panel N7</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
125 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="9"><head>Label (painted) to panel N8</head>
· <p>
130 <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="10"><head>Label (painted) to panel N9</head>
135 <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
140 <div type="textpart" n="11"><head>Label (painted) to panel N10</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/><gap reason="illegible" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
· </p>
· </div>
145
· <div type="textpart" n="12"><head>Label (painted) to panel N11</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/><gap reason="illegible" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
· </p>
150 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="13"><head>Label (painted) to panel N12</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
155 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="14"><head>Label (painted) to panel N13</head>
· <p>
160 <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="15"><head>Label (painted) to panel N14</head>
165 <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
170 <div type="textpart" n="16"><head>Label (painted) to panel N15</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>murukāṉ
· </p>
· </div>
175
· <div type="textpart" n="17"><head>Label (painted) to panel N16</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
180 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="18"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N17</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>tirunāḷaippōvār
185 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="19"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N18</head>
· <p>
190 <lb n="1"/><unclear>tirukkuṟipputtoṇṭar</unclear>
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="20"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N19</head>
195 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>ce<supplied reason="omitted">y</supplied>nallūr piḷḷaiyār katai
· </p>
· </div>
·
200 <div type="textpart" n="21"><head>Label (painted) to panel N20</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
205
· <div type="textpart" n="22"><head>Label (painted) to panel N21</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
210 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="23"><head>Label (painted) to panel N22</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
215 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="24"><head>Label (painted) to panel N23</head>
· <p>
220 <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="25"><head>Label (painted) to panel N24</head>
225 <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
230 <div type="textpart" n="26"><head>Label (painted) to panel N25</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
235
· <div type="textpart" n="27"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N26</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>namina<choice><orig>ṉ</orig><reg>n</reg></choice>ti Atikaḷ<unclear>ār</unclear>
· </p>
240 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="28"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N27</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Āḷuṭaiya piḷḷaiyār
245 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="29"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N28</head>
· <p>
250 <lb n="1"/>Eyarkō<choice><orig>n</orig><reg>ṉ</reg></choice> kalikkāmāṇṭār
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="30"><head>Label (painted) to panel N29</head>
255 <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
·
260 <div type="textpart" n="31"><head>Label (painted) to panel N30</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
265
· <div type="textpart" n="32"><head>Label (painted) to panel N31</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
270 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="33"><head>Label (painted) to panel N32</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>cōmācimāṟaṉār
275 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="34"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N33</head>
· <p>
280 <lb n="1"/>cākkiyaṉār <gap reason="illegible" quantity="3" unit="character"/>
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="35"><head>Label (painted) to panel N34</head>
285 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>ciṟappuli Āṇṭār
· </p>
· </div>
·
290 <div type="textpart" n="36"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N35</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>ciṟuttoṇṭar katai <g type="gomutraFinal">.</g>
· </p>
· </div>
295
· <div type="textpart" n="37"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N36</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>cēramāṉ perumāḷ katai <g type="pc">.</g>
· </p>
300 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="38"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N37</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>kaṇanātāṇṭā<supplied reason="omitted">r</supplied> katai <g type="pc">.</g>
305 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="39"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N38</head>
· <p>
310 <lb n="1"/>kūṟṟuvaṉār <g type="gomutraFinal">.</g>
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="40"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G2</head>
315 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>poyyātimaiyillāta ‡ pulavar <g type="gomutraFinal">.</g>
· </p>
· </div>
·
320 <div type="textpart" n="41"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N39</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>pukaḻccōḻaṉār
· </p>
· </div>
325
· <div type="textpart" n="42"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N40</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/><unclear>nara</unclear>ciṅka<unclear>muṉaiya</unclear>raiyar
· </p>
330 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="43"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N41</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Atipattar katai
335 </p>
· </div>
·
·
· <div type="textpart" n="44"><head>Label (painted) to panel N42</head>
340 <p>
· <lb n="1"/><g type="gomutraInitial"/> kalikkampāṇṭār katai
· </p>
· </div>
·
345 <div type="textpart" n="45"><head>Label (painted) to panel N43</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>kaliya<choice><orig>n</orig><reg>ṉ</reg></choice>ār
· </p>
· </div>
350
· <div type="textpart" n="46"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N44</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>cattiyāṇṭār
· </p>
355 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="47"><head>Label (painted) to panel N45</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Aiyyaṭikaḷ kāṭavar kō<choice><orig>n</orig><reg>ṉ</reg></choice>ār
360 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="48"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N46</head>
· <p>
365 <lb n="1"/>kaṇampulāṇṭār
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="49"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N47</head>
370 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>kāriyār
· </p>
· </div>
·
375 <div type="textpart" n="50"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N48</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>neṭumāṟaṉār
· </p>
· </div>
380
· <div type="textpart" n="51"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N49</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>vāyilār
· </p>
385 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="52"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N50</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>muṉaiyaṭuvar
390 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="53"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N51</head>
· <p>
395 <lb n="1"/>kalaṟcinka<choice><orig>n</orig><reg>ṉ</reg></choice>ār
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="54"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N52</head>
400 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Iṭaṅkaḻiyāṇṭār
· </p>
· </div>
·
405 <div type="textpart" n="55"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N53</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>ceruttuṇaiyāṇṭār
· </p>
· </div>
410
· <div type="textpart" n="56"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N54</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>pukaḻttuṇaiyār
· </p>
415 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="57"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N55</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>koḻppuliyāṇṭār <g type="gomutraFinal">.</g>
420 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="58"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G3</head>
· <p>
425 <lb n="1"/>pattarāyppaṇivār
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="59"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G4</head>
430 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>paramaṉaiyē pāṭuvār
· </p>
· </div>
·
435 <div type="textpart" n="60"><head>Label (painted) to panel G5</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
440
· <div type="textpart" n="61"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G6</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>tiruvārūr piṟantār
· </p>
445 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="62"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G7</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>mukkālum tirumēṉi t<choice><orig>i</orig><reg>ī</reg></choice>ṇṭuvār
450 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="63"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G8</head>
· <p>
455 <lb n="1"/>muḻun<choice><orig>i</orig><reg>ī</reg></choice>ṟupūciya muṉivar
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="64"><head>Label (engraved) to panel G9</head>
460 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Appālum Aṭiccarnta Aṭiyār
· </p>
· </div>
·
465 <div type="textpart" n="65"><head>Label (painted) to panel N56 (Pūcalār)</head>
· <p>
· <gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="line"><certainty match=".." locus="name"/></gap>
· </p>
· </div>
470
· <div type="textpart" n="66"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N57</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>pāṇṭimātēvi
· </p>
475 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="67"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N58</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>necāṇṭār
480 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="68"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N59</head>
· <p>
485 <lb n="1"/>kō-ciṅka-p-perumāḷ
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="69"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N60</head>
490 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>tiru-n<choice><orig>i</orig><reg>ī</reg></choice>lakaṇṭa-p-perum-pāṇaṉār
· </p>
· </div>
·
495 <div type="textpart" n="70"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N61</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>caṭaiyaṉār
· </p>
· </div>
500
· <div type="textpart" n="71"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N62</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Icaiñāṉiyār
· </p>
505 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="72"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.1</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Uṭaiya-nampi Eḻuntaruḻukiṟār
510 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="73"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.2</head>
· <p>
515 <lb n="1"/>Āvaṇa-Olai kāṭṭiṉa paṭi
· </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="74"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.3</head>
520 <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Uṭaiya-nampiyai Āṇṭu koṇṭ-aruḷiṉa paṭi
· </p>
· </div>
·
525 <div type="textpart" n="75"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.4</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Uṭaiya-nampikku Ō<choice><orig>ll</orig><reg>l</reg></choice> eṉṟ-aruḷiṉa paṭi <g type="gomutraFinal"/>
· </p>
· </div>
530
· <div type="textpart" n="76"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.5</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>Uṭaiya-nampiyai vēṭar vaḻi pāritta v-iṭam
· </p>
535 </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="77"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.6</head>
· <p>
· <lb n="1"/>tiru-murukaṉ-pūṇṭiyil peṟṟa paṭi <g type="gomutraFinal"/>
540 </p>
· </div>
·
· <div type="textpart" n="78"><head>Label (engraved) to panel N63.7</head>
· <p>
545 <lb n="1"/>Avināciyāṇṭār mutaḷaivāy piḷḷai
· </p>
· </div>
·
· </div>
550
· <div type="apparatus">
·
· <listApp>
·
555 <app loc="0">
· <lem source="bib:Srinivasan1987_01"/>
· <note/>
· </app>
·
560 </listApp>
·
· </div>
·
· <div type="translation" resp="part:emfr">
565
· </div>
·
· <div type="commentary">
· <p>The Nāyaṉmārs’ frieze comprised 78 panels, as described in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Marr1979_01"/></bibl>: 62 panels for 62 different Nāyaṉmārs (N1 to N62), 7 panels for Cuntarar (N63.1 to N63.7), 9 panels for groups of saints (G1 to G9). They are distributed clockwise, from eastern edge of southern base of the <foreign>maṇḍapa</foreign> up to the eastern edge of northern base of the <foreign>maṇḍapa</foreign>, as follows: G1, N1-N38, G2, N39-N55, G3-G9, N56-N62, N63.1-N63.7. Most of the Nāyaṉmārs' panels are labelled, with engraved and/or red-painted labels.</p>
570 <p>The palaeography of the engraved and painted labels appears to be similar. It is possible that all panels were intended to be labelled and first received a painted label to be converted into an engraved label. The conversion from painted to engraved labels was started from the eastern edge of northern base of the <foreign>maṇḍapa</foreign> with the panels concerning Cuntarar and, for some reasons, not completed up to the eastern edge of southern base of the <foreign>maṇḍapa</foreign>. All the 78 panels are thus represented in the above edition even though presently no trace of painted label is visible.</p>
· <p>As for the existing painted labels, it is possible that they have been reproduced exactly in the course of the past centuries. Note that some engraved labels have also been painted, that is, the engraved letters have been enhanced with paintings.<note>The label for panel N17 is peculiar in that the painted label starts on the left of the shallowly engraved label.</note> This might explain why some engraved labels have been wrongly taken for painted labels only.<note>For instance, the labels for panels N3, N19 and N26 are engraved, not only painted, <hi rend="italic">pace</hi> <bibl><ptr target="bib:Marr1979_01"/></bibl>.</note> Some red-painted labels seem to have escaped attention so far (for instance, N1 and N15) and might be exact reproductions of earlier painted labels or additions.</p>
·
· </div>
·
575 <div type="bibliography">
·
· <p>Reported in <bibl><ptr target="bib:ARIE1907-1908"/></bibl> (ARIE/1907-1908/C/1908/16).</p>
·
· <p>Edited in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Marr1979_01"/></bibl>. Edited counterclockwise and translated in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Srinivasan1987_01"/></bibl> in two discrete groups, on for engraved labels (a.XV, that is, 43 labels) and the other for painted labels (a.XVI, that is, 8 labels).</p>
580
· <p>This digital edition by Emmanuel Francis based on previous editions and photos (E. Francis, 2025). The labels are here given in clockwise order following the nomenclature in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Marr1979_01"/></bibl> (N for Nāyaṉmār, from 1 to 63).</p>
·
· <listBibl type="primary">
·
585 <bibl n="S">
· <ptr target="bib:Srinivasan1987_01"/>
· <citedRange unit="page">30-31</citedRange>
· <citedRange unit="item">a.XV-XVI</citedRange>
· </bibl>
590
· <bibl>
· <ptr target="bib:Marr1979_01"/>
· </bibl>
·
595 </listBibl>
·
· <listBibl type="secondary">
·
· <bibl>
600 <ptr target="bib:ARIE1907-1908"/>
· <citedRange unit="page">41</citedRange>
· <citedRange unit="appendix">C/1908</citedRange>
· <citedRange unit="item">16</citedRange>
· </bibl>
605
· <bibl>
· <ptr target="bib:ARIE1919-1920"/>
· <citedRange unit="mixed">pp. 102-107 and pl. II-VI</citedRange>
· </bibl>
610
· <bibl>
· <ptr target="bib:Sivaramamurti1960_01"/>
· <citedRange unit="page">37-43</citedRange>
· </bibl>
615
· <bibl>
· <ptr target="bib:Sivaramamurti1992_01"/>
· <citedRange unit="page">40-46</citedRange>
· </bibl>
620
· <bibl>
· <ptr target="bib:LHernault1987_01"/>
· <citedRange unit="page">96-107</citedRange>
· </bibl>
625
· </listBibl>
·
· </div>
· </body>
630 </text>
·</TEI>
Commentary
The Nāyaṉmārs’ frieze comprised 78 panels, as described in Marr 1979: 62 panels for 62 different Nāyaṉmārs (N1 to N62), 7 panels for Cuntarar (N63.1 to N63.7), 9 panels for groups of saints (G1 to G9). They are distributed clockwise, from eastern edge of southern base of the maṇḍapa up to the eastern edge of northern base of the maṇḍapa, as follows: G1, N1-N38, G2, N39-N55, G3-G9, N56-N62, N63.1-N63.7. Most of the Nāyaṉmārs’ panels are labelled, with engraved and/or red-painted labels.
The palaeography of the engraved and painted labels appears to be similar. It is possible that all panels were intended to be labelled and first received a painted label to be converted into an engraved label. The conversion from painted to engraved labels was started from the eastern edge of northern base of the maṇḍapa with the panels concerning Cuntarar and, for some reasons, not completed up to the eastern edge of southern base of the maṇḍapa. All the 78 panels are thus represented in the above edition even though presently no trace of painted label is visible.
As for the existing painted labels, it is possible that they have been reproduced exactly in the course of the past centuries. Note that some engraved labels have also been painted, that is, the engraved letters have been enhanced with paintings.1 This might explain why some engraved labels have been wrongly taken for painted labels only.2 Some red-painted labels seem to have escaped attention so far (for instance, N1 and N15) and might be exact reproductions of earlier painted labels or additions.