The palaeography of rr and r in Khotanese

This article marks the first instalment of a study examining the palaeography and phonology of rr and r in Khotanese. The palaeographic origin of the former has long been debated. Initially transliterated as 〈rr〉 by Ernst Leumann, its emergence as a ligature of two rs has been challenged by modern scholars. This study adopts a comprehensive approach, integrating palaeography, orthography, and linguistic classification. It traces the development of these graphemes from their earliest attested forms in manuscripts written in Archaic Orthography and Early Turkestan Brāhmī types 1 and 2, as well as other early script types. The investigation spans six centuries, charting the evolution of both the Book and Documentary Scripts of Khotanese. The study incudes a comparative analysis with other Central Asian Brāhmī scripts, particularly those used for Sanskrit and Tocharian. The findings support the claim that 〈rr〉 is indeed a ligature and reveal that there was no dependent 〈°rr〉 as the second component of ligatures in Khotanese Brāhmī. Instead, two distinct variants of dependent 〈°r〉 emerged in southern Turkestan Brāhmī, both of which became integral to the Khotanese script. Through this palaeographic investigation, the evolution and specific uses of rr and r in various contexts are documented, providing new insights into the writing traditions of Khotanese Brāhmī over time.