354 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [September, 1912. 
h 
They, Sache, are of the later fashion and the “manuscript 
was written “‘ probably after the advent of Islam 
The accompanying table compares certain elements of the 
Bakhshali manuscript with inscriptions of different periods, 
viz., the Sarahan stone inscription,? the Devirikothi inscription 
of AD. 1159,° the Arigom inscription of a.p. 1197,* the 
Baijnath inscriptions of a.D. 12045 and the copper- -plate grant 
of ig oral Singh of Kattu,® a.p. 1559. 
the aid of this table and Dr. Vogel’s criteria we may 
aieeipe to determine the age of the manu uscript, bearing in 
mind that the materials used vary from birch-bark to stone and 
copper- plates. 
According to Vogel the following points help to determine 
the age :— 
(a) The loop of the ka is generally more rounded in older 
inscriptions. 
(6) The ca in the earlier inscriptions is still rounded with a 
pointed projection to the left. 
(c) In the rein Sarada inscriptions the na has still the 
ae t of a base stroke. In the later it is provided 
a long tail attached to the left. 
(d) In the earlier inscriptions dha is still crescent-shaped. 
(e) In the Muhammadan period ya develops a top stroke. 
(f) In me earlier Sarada iectiptions the Ja has the curve 
tached to the vertical by a small horizontal stroke. 
(g) In ‘te earlier inscriptions the virama appears to 
modify the form. 
(A) i certain aksaras the old ees hich appears 
to have dropped out about 4 D. 1000, w s to join 
ih a mark for medial a to the left-hand top 
() The ne changes of ja are illustrated in the table. 
(j) Medial e¢ is expressed in three ways, of which the 
detached top stroke appears to be the most modern. 

' D. Hoernle, Introduction to the R : aN 
2 Vogel, p. 162, © the Bower Manuscript, p. xviii. 
5 Vogel, p. 206. 
. Bplgrephis Indica, 
; Buhler’s Indische Palaogeaphic, Tafel V. 
$ Arch. Report, 1903-4, Part ji, Pl. lx« 
