Why in the News
Researchers have identified nearly 30 Indian inscriptions in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, shedding new light on trade and cultural links between ancient Tamilagam, other parts of India and the Roman Empire during the 1st to 3rd centuries CE.
Key Findings
-
Tamil Majority Presence
- Most inscriptions belong to individuals from southern India, especially ancient Tamilagam, though some were from north-western and western India.
-
Repeated Name: Cikai Koṟṟaṉ
- Appears eight times across five tombs.
- Found near entrances and high interior walls.
- The term Koṟṟaṉ has Tamil roots associated with victory and warfare.
- Related to the Chera warrior goddess Koṟṟavai and the word koṟṟavaṉ meaning king.
- The name also appears in:
- Sangam literature such as Purananooru
- Inscriptions from Pugalur, linked to the Chera dynasty
- A pottery sherd found at Berenike in Egypt
-
Other Tamil Names
-
- Kopāṉ varata kantan meaning Kopāṉ came and saw
- Cātaṉ
- Kiraṉ
The name Kopāṉ has also been found at Ammankovilpatti in Tamil Nadu.
Historical Significance
- Confirms movement of Indian traders or visitors beyond Red Sea ports into the Nile valley.
- Strengthens evidence of Indo Roman trade links.
- Earlier excavations at Berenike had already shown Indian trade presence.
- This discovery shifts focus from coastal trade points to inland Egyptian sites.
| [2023] With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri were well known as:
(a) capital cities (b) ports (c) centres of iron and steel making (d) shrines of Jain Tirthankaras |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
