Makasar Vowel Sign E

It marks the e vowel inside a Makasar syllable.

Makasar consonant letters carry an a vowel by default; attach 𑻵 to change that vowel to e. For a word that begins with e, attach it to 𑻱, the script’s vowel carrier. Alone, 𑻵 is a dependent sign, not a complete letter.

Where was Makasar writing used?

Makasar writing served South Sulawesi records, chronicles, and official work.

The Makasar script wrote the Makasar language in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It served official work in the 17th century and recorded genealogies and historical accounts, including the Chronicles of Gowa and Tallo’.

Anthony Jukes identifies the earliest surviving, verifiable specimen as Makasar names of noble signatories on a copy of the 1667 Treaty of Bungaya. A large Makasar manuscript of Gowa–Tallo’ chronicles, KIT 668/216, dates to the mid-18th century. Buginese later became the dominant script for Makasar; Makasar writing had ceased by the 19th century. The script’s closest proposed connection is South Sumatran Rejang, but the exact relationship is unresolved; resemblance to Buginese does not prove descent. In English, Makasar is also nicknamed “bird letters”.

Why does 𑻵 appear before the consonant?

The vowel is read after the consonant but displayed on its left.

In the text, 𑻵 follows the consonant; software displays it on the left. Entering 𑻵 first can leave it detached. The visual position follows Makasar spelling, so type the consonant before the mark.