Why in news?

A recent study (2024–25) by scholars from the École Française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO) and the University of Lausanne has documented nearly 30 inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi, Sanskrit, and Prakrit inside six tombs in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in the Theban Necropolis.

While Greek graffiti in these tombs had been catalogued as early as 1926, the Indian inscriptions — dating between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE — had largely gone unnoticed.

The discovery highlights deeper cultural and mobility links between South Asia and the Mediterranean world during antiquity.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• The Repeated Name: Cikai Koṟṟaṉ in Egypt’s Tombs
• “Kopāṉ Came and Saw”: Indian Voices in Egyptian Tombs
• Beyond Tamil: Northern Indian Presence in Egyptian Tombs
• From Berenike to Thebes: Expanding the Map of Indian Mobility
• Rethinking the Roman–Indian Exchange

The Repeated Name: Cikai Koṟṟaṉ in Egypt’s Tombs

• Among the Indian graffiti found in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, the Tamil name Cikai Koṟṟaṉ stands out.
• It was inscribed eight times across five tombs, including one placed prominently about four metres high near an entrance—suggesting deliberate visibility and assertion of presence.
• Linguistic Blend: Sanskrit and Tamil Roots
  • The name reflects cultural hybridity:
    • “Cikai” may derive from the Sanskrit śikhā, meaning tuft or crown.
    • “Koṟṟaṉ” is distinctly Tamil, linked to roots meaning victory or slaying, and associated with Koṟṟavai, the Chera warrior goddess, and koṟṟavaṉ (king).
  • This fusion highlights the multilingual and cosmopolitan character of early historic Indian merchant communities.
• Links to Tamilagam and Trade Networks
  • The name Koṟṟaṉ also appears in:
    • A pottery sherd from Berenike, a Red Sea port with Indian inscriptions.
    • The Sangam corpus, where the Chera ruler Piṭṭāṅkoṟṟaṉ is addressed as Koṟṟaṉ.
  • These parallels firmly connect the Egyptian graffiti to the literary and epigraphic traditions of ancient Tamilagam, reinforcing evidence of deep Indo-Mediterranean interactions.

“Kopāṉ Came and Saw”: Indian Voices in Egyptian Tombs

• Another striking inscription discovered in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings reads: “Kopāṉ varata kantan” — “Kopāṉ came and saw.”
• Scholars note that this phrasing closely mirrors common Greek graffiti formulae found in the same tombs.
• It suggests that Indian visitors were consciously adopting an existing Mediterranean tradition of marking presence at sacred sites.
• Familiar Tamil Names in a Foreign Land
  • The name Kopāṉ has parallels in early Tamil inscriptions from Tamil Nadu, including Ammankovilpatti. Other names identified in the tombs include:
    • Cātaṉ
    • Kiraṉ
  • Both are well attested in Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions from South India, reinforcing the connection between these Egyptian markings and ancient Tamilagam.
• Participation in a Cosmopolitan Travel Culture
  • The inscriptions appear alongside a large body of Greek graffiti inside the tombs.
  • According to researchers, Indian visitors were not creating separate cultural spaces but participating in a shared Mediterranean practice — inscribing their names to record their visit.
  • This reflects a cosmopolitan network of mobility in the 1st–3rd centuries CE, where Indian travellers ventured far inland beyond Red Sea ports.

Beyond Tamil: Northern Indian Presence in Egyptian Tombs

• Of the nearly 30 documented inscriptions, around 20 are in Tamil-Brahmi, while the remaining are in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Gandhari-Kharosthi.
• This linguistic diversity indicates that visitors were not limited to southern India but came from multiple regions across the subcontinent.
• One Sanskrit inscription mentions an envoy of a Kshaharata king who “came here.”
  • The Kshaharata dynasty ruled parts of western India in the 1st century CE, suggesting that individuals linked to ruling elites, not just merchants, were part of these networks.
• The range of languages confirms that Indo-Roman trade was not confined to Tamil merchants from the Malabar coast.
• Traders and travellers from northwestern and western India, including Gujarat and Maharashtra, also participated in transoceanic exchanges.
• The Valley of the Kings graffiti captures a moment in history when the Indian Ocean world was deeply interconnected, with merchants, envoys, and travellers from different Indian regions leaving their mark far inland in Egypt.

From Berenike to Thebes: Expanding the Map of Indian Mobility

• Beyond Port Trade - Earlier evidence of Indo-Roman contact centred on Berenike, the Red Sea port linking Roman Egypt with the Indian Ocean. Excavations there revealed Indian inscriptions and trade goods such as pepper, beads, and textiles.
• Inland Presence in the Nile Valley - The discovery of Tamil-Brahmi, Sanskrit, and Prakrit inscriptions in the Valley of the Kings—far inland along the Nile—extends this narrative. It suggests Indian visitors travelled beyond coastal trade hubs, engaging in local commemorative practices and sightseeing.
• Literacy and Cosmopolitanism - The inscriptions—mostly brief names and arrival statements—demonstrate: Literacy in Indian scripts; Mobility across long distances; Possible familiarity with Greek.
  • They reflect merchant communities confident enough to mark their presence thousands of miles from home.
• Rethinking Tamil-Brahmi Evidence
  • With only around a hundred Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions known from India, the addition of about 20 in Egypt is significant.
  • This raises questions about:
    • The survival of writing materials in Tamilagam
    • The social groups that practised stone inscription

Rethinking the Roman–Indian Exchange

• Classical writers like Pliny and Ptolemy documented Roman trade with India, highlighting exports such as pepper, ivory, gemstones, and textiles.
• However, debates persisted over whether interaction was merely commercial or involved deeper reciprocal movement.
• The newly documented inscriptions transform abstract trade into lived history. These names confirm that Indians were physically present in Roman Egypt, not just distant trading partners.
• The Valley of the Kings as a Roman-Era Tourist Site
  • Originally built in the 16th century BCE, the Valley of the Kings became a site visited by Mediterranean travellers during the Roman period.
  • Alongside Greek graffiti, Indian inscriptions now reveal participation in this shared commemorative culture.
• Literary Echoes and Cultural Memory
  • The Tamil names resonate with the Sangam corpus, and linguistic elements linked to the goddess Koṟṟavai appear on Egyptian walls.
  • This strengthens connections between epigraphic evidence and early South Indian literary traditions.
• Preserved Across Two Millennia
  • Though modest and lightly scratched, the Tamil-Brahmi, Sanskrit, and Prakrit inscriptions survived due to Egypt’s dry climate and the protected interiors of rock-cut tombs.
  • Their endurance provides rare, tangible proof of the Indian Ocean world’s interconnected past.