Tamil Brahmi Script & Valley of the Kings

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News: Researchers have discovered nearly 30 inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit in tombs at the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

Key Findings 

Tamil Brahmi Script & Valley of the Kings
Source: IE
  • Nearly 30 inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi, Sanskrit, and Prakrit inside six tombs in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. They dated from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE.
  • About 20 inscriptions are in Tamil-Brahmi, including the repeated name “Cikai Koṟṟaṉ,” and other names such as Kopāṉ, Cātaṉ and Kiraṉ. 

About Tamil-Brahmi Script

  • It was a variant of the Brahmi script in southern India, also known as Tamili or Damili.
  • Dated between: 300 BC and 100 AD
  • It is written in three languages: Tamil, Prakrit and Pali
  • Distant Feature: Brahmi characters have geometric features such as lines, curves, corners, and dots. 
    • Brahmi script is written from left to right.
  • Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found on cave entrances, stone beds, potsherds, jar burials, coins, seals, and rings.
  • Greatest work related to Tamil brahmi scipt: The Thirukkural, one of the greatest works on ethics and morality was written in Tamil Brahmi.

About Valley of the Kings

  • The Valley of the Kings is a long, narrow valley located just west of the Nile River in Upper Egypt and formed part of the ancient city of Thebes.
  • It served as the burial site for nearly all pharaohs of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties (1539–1075 BCE), from Thutmose I to Ramses X.
  • In 1979, UNESCO designated the Valley of the Kings as part of the World Heritage Site of ancient Thebes, which also includes Luxor, the Valley of the Queens, and Karnak.
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