Brahmi (/ˈbrɑːmi/; 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀳𑁆𑀫𑀻; ISO: Brāhmī) is a writing system of ancient South Asia.[3] The Brahmi writing system, or script, appeared as a fully developed universal one in South Asia in the third century BCE,[4] and is a forerunner of all writing systems that have found use in South Asia with the exception of the Indus script of the third millennium BCE, the Kharosthi script, which originated in what today is northwestern Pakistan in the fourth or possibly fifth century BCE,[5] the Perso–Arabic scripts since the medieval period, and the Latin scripts of the modern period.[4] Its descendants, the Brahmic scripts, continue to be in use today not only in South Asia, but also Southeast Asia.[6][7][8]