The earliest known inscription in Kannada dates back to:

5th century CE
10th century CE
15th century CE
18th century CE

The earliest known inscription in Kannada dates back to the 5th century CE. The inscription was found in the village of Halmidi in Karnataka, India. It is written in the Kadamba script and is a record of a land grant made by a king to a temple. The inscription is significant because it is the earliest known example of the Kannada language being used in writing.

The Kadamba script is an ancient Indian script that was used to write the Kannada language. The script is believed to have originated in the 5th century CE and was used until the 12th century CE. The Kadamba script is a descendant of the Brahmi script and is closely related to the Kannada script.

The Kannada language is a Dravidian language that is spoken in the Indian state of Karnataka. The language is believed to have originated in the 5th century CE and is one of the oldest languages in India. Kannada is the official language of Karnataka and is also spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.

The inscription found in Halmidi is a significant piece of evidence for the history of the Kannada language. The inscription shows that the Kannada language was being used in writing as early as the 5th century CE. This is important because it shows that the Kannada language is a very old language with a long history.

The inscription is also significant because it is the earliest known example of the Kadamba script. The Kadamba script is an ancient Indian script that was used to write the Kannada language. The script is believed to have originated in the 5th century CE and was used until the 12th century CE. The Kadamba script is a descendant of the Brahmi script and is closely related to the Kannada script.

The inscription found in Halmidi is a valuable piece of evidence for the history of the Kannada language and the Kadamba script. The inscription shows that the Kannada language was being used in writing as early as the 5th century CE and that the Kadamba script was used to write the Kannada language.