Type Abugida | ||
Languages Old and Middle Kamrupi language Time period Unknown-late second millennium Parent systems Brahmi
Gupta
Kamarupi script | ||
Kamarupi script (ancient Assamese script) and sometimes as ancient Kamrupi script was the script used in ancient Kamarupa between the 5th and the 13th centuries, from which modern Assamese script and Bengali evolved. For the Assamese script, this was the first of three chronological stages of development, the other two being medieval and modern Assamese scripts.
Contents
The Kamarupa inscriptions were engraved during this development period, and they display the development of this script in this period. The scripts of the 5th-century Umachal and Nagajari-Khanikargaon rock inscriptions are nearly identical to the eastern variety of the Gupta script, which over the centuries evolved into the proto-Assamese script of the 12th-century Kanai-Boroxiboa inscriptions.
S. N. Sarma has observed that the Assamese script pertaining to the period from the 6th century to the twelfth century can be termed as the ancient Kamrupi script. The Kamrupi script took the form of the old Assamese script in the latter period.
Origin
The Kamrupi script originated from Gupta script, which in turn developed from Brahmi script. Sometimes, Kamrupi script origins are traced to Kutila script, which is not widely accepted.
Variations
Kamrupi script had four variations, namely: (1) "Gadgaya" used around Gadgaon, (2) "Bamonia" used in preparation of Sanskrit texts, used by Brahmins, (3) "Kaitheli" used by the Kayasthas and (4) "Lakhri" used by common people in Kamrup. Later two varieties are exclusive to Western Assam.