Kadamba script

The Kadamba script is the first writing system devised specifically for writing Kannada, and later adopted to write Telugu language. The Kadamba script is also known as Pre-Old-Kannada script.

The Kadamba script is one of the oldest scripts of the southern group of writing systems that developed from the ancient Brahmi script. By the 5th century CE it became distinct from other Brahmi variants and was used in what are now the South Indian states of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It evolved into the Kannada-Telugu script by the 10th century CE and was used to write the Kannada and Telugu languages. It is also distantly related to the Sinhala script.

During the rule of Kadamba dynasty (325-550), major change in the Brahmi script resulted in the Kadamba Kannada script, letters were shorter and round in shape. During (325 to 1000 AD) the rule of the Western Ganga dynasty in the southern parts of Karnataka the Kannada script used differently (also known as Ganga script) in rock edicts and copper plate inscriptions. During 6th to 10th century, the Telugu-Kannada alphabet stabilized during the rule of the Chalukyas of Badami from 500-1000 and Rastrakutas.^{[citation needed]}

The Kadamba script shares similarities with scripts of certain languages belonging to the alphasyllabary or abugida family, including Goykanadi, Bhattiprolu script, Salankayana script, Pallava script, Gupta script, as well as the Tulu script.