India (Commonwealth Union)_ Fresh discoveries in Egypt are shedding new light on the global reach of the Tamil language more than 2,000 years ago. Nearly 30 ancient inscriptions, most of them written in Tamil-Brahmi, one of the earliest scripts of the Tamil language, have been identified in the famous royal burial grounds of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The site, located near ancient Thebes and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known worldwide for its rock-cut tombs of pharaohs and nobles. Researchers documented these inscriptions inside six separate tombs. Of the roughly 30 inscriptions, 20 are in Tamil-Brahmi, while the remaining are in the other Indian languages of Prakrit and Sanskrit.
Also read: Bangladesh Election Results: Tarique Rahman’s BNP storms to power in Bangladesh!
Based on script analysis and historical context, scholars believe the writings date back to between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, when Egypt was under Roman rule. The findings suggest that Tamil-speaking people were not merely distant traders connected through middlemen but individuals who physically travelled to and lived in Roman Egypt. They left behind personal inscriptions inside royal tombs, spaces that were part of one of the most powerful civilizations of the ancient world. This indicates a level of mobility and cultural exchange that historians are still working to fully understand.
Also read: Inside Modi’s high-profile Malaysia visit: Here’s why it’s big?
One Tamil name in particular appears repeatedly in the tombs: “Cikai Korran,” which is inscribed eight times across five different tombs, often alongside a short message that translates to “came and saw.” The name “Korran” is associated with early Tamil warrior traditions and is linked to the Chera lineage of South India. This detail has led scholars to believe that those who travelled may have included not only merchants but also individuals of status or leadership.
Also read: Inside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s high-stakes India visit: What was really at play?
Other Tamil names identified at the site, including Kopan, Catan, and Kiran, are also known from early inscriptions found in South India. Significantly, Tamil inscriptions outnumber those written in other Indian languages at the site, pointing to a particularly strong Tamil presence in Egypt during that period. The research was carried out by Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies in Paris and Ingo Strauch of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. The scholars presented their findings at an international conference on Tamil epigraphy in Chennai in a paper titled “From the Valley of Kings to India: Indian Inscriptions in Egypt.”
Additionally, earlier discoveries further support this connection. Archaeologists earlier discovered a Tamil inscription on a reused stone from the Temple of Isis at Berenike, an Egyptian harbor. The temple, which was founded in the third century BC, was active for several centuries. Together, these discoveries provide a compelling picture of Tamil having a global presence in ancient times. Long before modern notions of globalization existed, Tamil speakers were traversing oceans, trading, and leaving written records well beyond the borders of South India.
