Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions in Egypt

The Discovery of a Tamil Brahmi Inscription in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings sheds new light on the Ancient Trade of India. Read here to learn more.

Recent discoveries of nearly 30 inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings have opened a fascinating new chapter in the study of ancient Indian trade networks.

These findings not only reinforce India’s deep maritime and overland commercial links with the Roman world but also highlight the cultural footprint left by Indian merchants abroad.

The inscriptions, found on the west bank of the River Nile within the Theban Necropolis, indicate that visitors from the north-western, western, and southern regions of the Indian subcontinent travelled to Egypt during the early centuries of the Common Era.

Notably, individuals from ancient Tamilagam appear to form the majority of these visitors.

Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings

The inscriptions consist of brief graffiti, primarily personal names, carved on walls and corridors of tombs.

These appear alongside numerous Greek graffiti, suggesting that Indian visitors adopted an existing local practice of marking their presence.

Some of the most significant findings include:

• The Tamil Brahmi name “Cikai Koṟraṉ” appears eight times across five tombs.
• “Kopāṉ varata kantan,” meaning “Kopāṉ came and saw.”
• Other Tamil names such as Cātaṉ and Kiraṉ.

The repeated occurrence of “Cikai Koṟraṉ” is particularly striking. The term:

• “Cikai” may relate to the Sanskrit śikhā (tuft or crown).
• “Koṟṟaṉ” derives from the Tamil root koṟṟam (victory or slaying), associated with the Chera warrior goddess Koṟṟavai and the title koṟṟavaṉ (king).

These inscriptions are dated roughly between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, corresponding with the height of Indo-Roman trade.

Link with Berenike and Indo-Roman Trade

The discovery connects closely with earlier findings at Berenike, a Red Sea port city that served as a major Indo-Roman trade hub.

The element “koṟṟaṉ” also appears in inscriptions found there, strengthening the link between Egyptian Red Sea ports and Tamil merchants.

Sangam literature, especially texts like the Pattinappālai and Maduraikkanchi, describes vibrant maritime trade with the “Yavanas” (Greeks/Romans).

The ancient Chera capital at Pugalur has yielded inscriptions containing similar names, confirming the authenticity of the Tamil connections.

Ancient Indian Trade

1. Maritime Trade Routes

During the early centuries CE, Indian merchants used monsoon winds to navigate the Indian Ocean trade network, connecting:

• Tamil ports like Muziris (Muchiri), Korkai, and Arikamedu
• Arabian ports
• Egyptian Red Sea ports such as Berenike and Myos Hormos
• Roman markets via Alexandria

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE) provides detailed descriptions of this trade, listing Indian exports such as:

• Spices (pepper, cardamom)
• Pearls
• Ivory
• Textiles
• Precious stones

In return, India imported:

• Gold and silver coins
• Wine
• Coral
• Glassware

The discovery of Roman coins in Tamil Nadu further substantiates this commercial exchange.

2. Overland and Cultural Exchanges

Trade was not limited to goods. It facilitated:

• Cultural interaction
• Linguistic exchange
• Religious diffusion
• Artistic influence

The presence of Tamil Brahmi inscriptions in Egypt suggests not merely trade but sustained contact and possibly semi-permanent merchant communities abroad.

India’s trade networks were not limited to Rome. Earlier and later connections include:

• Mesopotamia (Indus Valley-Meluha trade)
• Southeast Asia (Chola maritime expansion)
• China (Silk Route and maritime routes)
• Arabian Peninsula and East Africa

The Indian Ocean functioned as a globalised commercial space centuries before modern globalisation.

Read: Maritime History of India

Significance of the Discovery

1. Direct Epigraphic Evidence: Unlike literary references, these inscriptions are first-hand archaeological proof of Indian presence in Egypt.
2. Tamil Maritime Prowess: The findings reinforce the central role of ancient Tamilagam in global maritime trade networks.
3. Multilingual Connectivity: The coexistence of Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Greek inscriptions illustrates the cosmopolitan nature of ancient trade hubs.
4. Political-Economic Implications: The flourishing trade contributed significantly to:

• The prosperity of the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms.
• Roman economic dynamics, as noted by Pliny the Elder, who complained about Roman gold draining into India.

The Valley of Kings

The Valley of the Kings is one of the most important archaeological sites of ancient Egypt, located on the west bank of the River Nile, opposite modern-day Luxor (ancient Thebes). It served as the royal burial ground of the New Kingdom Pharaohs (c. 1550-1070 BCE).

• Used primarily during the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties.
• Replaced pyramid burials due to concerns over tomb robbery.
• Pharaohs chose hidden rock-cut tombs in a remote valley to protect royal burials.

The valley contains over 60 tombs, including those of:

• Tutankhamun (KV62)- discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter.
• Ramses II
• Seti I
• Thutmose III

Conclusion

The Valley of the Kings inscriptions provide compelling evidence that ancient Indian merchants were not peripheral traders but active participants in a vast transcontinental economic system.

The repeated Tamil names etched into Egyptian tomb walls serve as silent witnesses to a time when Indian ships sailed confidently across the Arabian Sea and Red Sea, linking Tamilagam with the Roman Empire.

These findings reaffirm that ancient India was deeply integrated into global trade networks, economically vibrant, culturally confident, and maritime in outlook, long before the advent of European colonial trade systems.