The earliest reference to Syam or Shan is found in a Pagan inscription from A.D. 1120. From these early beginnings, Sai Kam Mong explores the history of the Shan people and their close relationship with Burma and northern Thailand, to provide a backdrop for the focus of his research: the development of the Shan scripts. The book explores the possible origins of the Shan alphabet, citing the wide-ranging opinions of many scholars, and then delves into...