Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions Found in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings
Why in the news
Researchers identified roughly thirty old Indian inscriptions in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, evidence of Indians visiting Egypt under Roman rule.
Key facts
- Scripts: Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit and Sanskrit; dated to the 1st-3rd centuries CE.
- Location: six tombs of the Theban Necropolis beside the Nile.
- Likely names left by Indian traders or visitors, showing direct South India-Egypt contact.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cikai Korran | Eight appearances across five tombs |
| Other names | Kopan, Catan, Kiran, tied to Sangam-era culture |
| Earlier parallel | Berenike, a Roman-era Red Sea port |
| Companion text | Greek graffiti alongside |
About the Valley of the Kings
- Royal burial ground of New Kingdom rulers near Luxor, in use about 1539-1075 BCE.
- Tutankhamun is buried here; part of the UNESCO site of Ancient Thebes.
Exam angle
- Main script: Tamil Brahmi; earlier find site: Berenike.