What Happened
- Researchers have identified approximately 30 Tamil-Brahmi and Prakrit inscriptions inside six rock-cut tombs in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, including the tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses VI, dating to the 1st-3rd centuries CE.
- The findings were presented by Swiss scholar Prof Ingo Strauch of the University of Lausanne, along with Prof Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies (Paris), at the inaugural session of the four-day International Conference on Tamil Epigraphy on February 11, 2026.
- The name "Cikai Korran" was found inscribed eight times across five tombs, indicating repeated presence of a Tamil individual. Other Tamil names recorded include Kopan, Catan, and Kiran, linking to Sangam-era Tamil culture.
- The inscriptions are brief visitor graffiti, where Indian visitors carved their names inside corridors and chambers, proving that Indian merchants travelled deep into the Egyptian interior, not just to coastal ports.
Static Topic Bridges
Indo-Roman Maritime Trade and the Sangam Age
The Sangam Age (roughly 300 BCE to 300 CE) witnessed flourishing maritime trade between Tamilakam (ancient Tamil country) and the Roman Empire, particularly after the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BCE and the discovery of monsoon wind patterns in the early first century CE. Tamil merchants exported pepper, pearls, ivory, textiles, and gold ornaments to Rome, while importing glass, coral, wine, and topaz. Pliny the Elder lamented that Rome was losing 50 million sesterces annually to India through this trade.
- Key Tamil ports included Muziris (modern Pattanam, Kerala), Arikamedu (near Puducherry), and Korkai (pearl trade centre)
- The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE) documents trade routes and ports from Egypt to India
- The Pandyan kingdom controlled the pearl trade through Korkai
- Roman coins, pottery, and other artefacts have been found at Arikamedu, confirming direct trade contact
- Sangam literature (Akananuru, Purananuru) contains references to foreign trade and yavana (Greek/Roman) traders
Connection to this news: The Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in Egypt's Valley of the Kings extend the known range of Tamil merchant activity far beyond the Red Sea port towns, demonstrating that these were not mere traders at ports but culturally confident individuals who ventured into the Egyptian heartland.
Tamil-Brahmi Script and Indian Epigraphy
Tamil-Brahmi is an abugida script used to write Tamil, dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. It is a variant of the Brahmi script adapted specifically for the Tamil language, with additional characters for Tamil phonemes absent in other Brahmi traditions. Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions have been found on pottery, cave walls, coins, and hero stones across Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, and now Egypt, making them crucial evidence for understanding the spread of early Tamil literacy.
- The earliest known Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in India are from Mangulam and Pugalur caves (3rd-2nd century BCE)
- Tamil-Brahmi was used alongside Prakrit and other Brahmi variants in trade contexts
- Inscriptions found at Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea port) prior to this discovery had already shown Tamil merchant presence
- The script evolved into the later Vatteluttu script and eventually modern Tamil script
- Ashoka's Brahmi edicts (3rd century BCE) are the earliest securely dated Brahmi inscriptions in India
Connection to this news: The presence of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions deep inside pharaonic tombs -- not just at coastal trading posts -- indicates that Tamil merchants were literate travellers who left their mark at culturally significant sites, suggesting a sophisticated and confident diaspora rather than mere commercial agents.
Berenike and Red Sea Trade Networks
Berenike, an ancient port on the Egyptian Red Sea coast (modern southeastern Egypt), served as a critical node in the Indo-Roman maritime trade network from the 3rd century BCE through the 6th century CE. Archaeological excavations since the 1990s have revealed extensive evidence of Indian presence, including Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions on pottery, pepper from India's Malabar Coast, and Indian-style beadwork.
- Berenike was founded by Ptolemy II in the 3rd century BCE and became the main Roman port for Indian Ocean trade
- Goods from India arrived at Berenike, then were transported overland to the Nile and by river to Alexandria and Rome
- The Monsoon Route enabled ships to cross the Indian Ocean in approximately 40 days
- Similar Tamil names found at both Berenike and the Valley of the Kings confirm the same merchant communities moved between ports and inland sites
- The Muziris Papyrus (2nd century CE), found in Egypt, records a specific Indian Ocean trade transaction worth 7 million sesterces
Connection to this news: The Valley of the Kings inscriptions extend the geographical footprint of Tamil merchant presence from Berenike on the Red Sea coast hundreds of kilometres inland to Upper Egypt, fundamentally reshaping our understanding of the depth and range of Indo-Roman cultural contact.
Key Facts & Data
- Approximately 30 Tamil-Brahmi and Prakrit inscriptions found across 6 rock-cut tombs
- Inscriptions date to 1st-3rd centuries CE (Sangam Age period)
- The name "Cikai Korran" appears 8 times across 5 different tombs
- Other Tamil names: Kopan, Catan, Kiran -- all linked to Sangam-era naming conventions
- Discoveries presented at the International Conference on Tamil Epigraphy, February 11, 2026
- Researchers: Prof Ingo Strauch (University of Lausanne) and Prof Charlotte Schmid (French School of Asian Studies)
- Valley of the Kings is located near ancient Thebes (modern Luxor), approximately 650 km south of Cairo
- Previous Tamil inscriptions were found at the Red Sea port of Berenike