Brahmi number one

It marked one in the older Brahmi number system.

Cave inscriptions and coins attest Brahmi numerals by the mid-3rd century BCE. The old set had signs for one through nine, tens, hundreds and thousands; higher values came first, with no zero.

In late Brahmi, a separate decimal set appeared: each digit’s position determined its value, leading toward modern decimal notation. Brahmi numerals developed into Gupta forms, named for an Indian dynasty, and other Indian forms. As of 2026, their origin remains unsettled; Kharosthi, another ancient Indic script, is one proposed source. Fonts can show regional or historical styles for this numeral.