CHENNAI: Researchers have identified about 2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions inside royal tombs in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, offering new evidence of ancient links between Tamil traders and Egypt.

The discovery was presented on February 11 by Swiss scholar Professor Ingo Strauch at the International Conference on Tamil Epigraphy in Chennai, organised by the State Department of Archaeology.

Strauch, of the University of Lausanne, and Professor Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies documented around 30 Tamil-Brahmi and Prakrit inscriptions across six rock-cut tombs, including that of Pharaoh Ramesses VI.

Among the most notable findings is the repeated name “Cikai Korran,” appearing eight times. A phrase reading “Cikai Korran vara kanta” translates to “Cikai Korran came and saw,” resembling visitor graffiti left by travellers in antiquity.

Researchers suggest the name may denote status, with “Cikai” meaning tuft or crown and “Korran” implying a leader, possibly a prominent merchant.

Earlier evidence of Tamil presence in Egypt was largely confined to port sites such as Berenike. These inscriptions indicate merchants travelled inland and stayed longer. Minister Thangam Thennarasu noted Tamil Nadu has nearly 30,000 inscriptions dating back to around the 6th century BCE.

(With PTI inputs)