A multi-disciplinary approach to Tamil Epigraphy
Jointly organised by Tamil University, Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology and the Groupe de Recherches en Etudes Indiennes.
Tamil University, Thanjavur Tamil Nadu, India, 1-10 August 2024
We are pleased to announce the Sixteenth International Workshop on Tamil Epigraphy, to be held from 1 to 10 August 2024 in Tamil University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. We have organised fifteen international workshops on Tamil Epigraphy since 2003. Based on constructive feedback we have received from the participants of the past workshops we plan to offer a new series of epigraphy training programme that will focus on the use of Tamil epigraphic data with a multi-disciplinary approach. This workshop is primarily meant for and will prioritise doctoral students and advanced researchers who wish to acquire advanced skills in Tamil epigraphy.
This workshop will focus on methods of interpretation and the use of inscriptions in disciplines such as history, archaeology, linguistics, art history, social anthropology, etc. Guest speakers will present different methods of analysis and synthesis of inscriptions, techniques of creation of epigraphic databases, as well as the analysis of epigraphic corpora with the help of IT tools. The sessions will be presented in English.
Organising Committee
- Appasamy Murugaiyan (Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes-Groupe de Recherches en Etudes Indiennes, Paris)
- Selvakumar (Department of Maritime History and Marine Archaeology, Tamil University)
- Sivanandam (Joint Director, Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology)
- Thulasendran (Department of Epigraphy and Archaeology, Tamil University)
- Bavani (Department of Epigraphy and Archaeology, Tamil University)
Course programme
The workshop will include field work, practical training, and special lectures and will focus on the following points:
- Visit to sites, estampage making, reading inscriptions in situ
- Reading and interpretation of some selected inscriptions
- Language of Tamil inscriptions, lexicon and grammar
- Palaeography
- Evolution of scripts: Tamiḻi (Tamiḻ-Brāhmī), Vaṭṭeḻuttu, Tamiḻ and Grantha
- Text analysis and compilation of epigraphic database
- Digital documentation and preservation of inscriptions
Registration
Registration to the workshop is mandatory. Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpUVvpgBMaoPm3fku0boJVI2SUsRYwws_e1CmoVP8nS-6rUQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0.
Interested candidates are invited to register before 1 July 2024. No registration fees are required. However, each participant will have to cover his accommodation and travel expenses.
If you have any difficulty for online registration, please contact: Appasamy Murugaiyan at: tamil-epigraphy@orange.fr