தாய்லாந்து தமிழி மோதிரம்

[seshadri sridharan]

                                                       தாய்லாந்து தமிழி மோதிரம்

         

𝑨 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒍𝒚 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑹𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅: 𝑨 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 2,000-𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑨𝒔𝒊𝒂?

Could an inscription in the Tamili script be found in Thailand?

At first glance, the question may seem surprising. Yet decades of archaeological discoveries across Thailand and Southeast Asia suggest that it is far from improbable.

The discovery of an inscribed gold ring during recent archaeological excavations at Phetchaburi, Thailand, has attracted considerable interest among archaeologists and epigraphists. As scholars continue to examine the inscription, it is worth asking a broader historical question:

Would the discovery of a Tamili inscription in Thailand truly be unexpected?

The answer, based on archaeology, epigraphy, and history, is no.

Trade between Tamilakam and Southeast Asia did not begin with the imperial Cholas. It stretches back more than two thousand years to the Sangam Age, when Tamil merchants mastered the seasonal monsoon winds and established extensive maritime networks across the Bay of Bengal. Far from being a barrier, the Bay of Bengal served as one of the world's earliest maritime highways, linking the ports of Tamilakam with present-day Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and southern China.

Archaeological excavations at important sites such as Khao Sam Kaeo, Phu Khao Thong, Khlong Thom, and Khuan Luk Pat have revealed compelling evidence of these early contacts. Among the most remarkable discoveries is a goldsmith's touchstone unearthed at Khlong Thom in southern Thailand, bearing an inscription in the Tamili script and generally dated to the 3rd century BCE. It is one of the earliest known Tamil inscriptions discovered outside the Indian subcontinent, demonstrating that people familiar with Tamili writing—most likely Tamil merchants or goldsmiths—were active in the region more than 2,200 years ago.

The archaeological evidence extends even further.

Excavations at Khuan Luk Pat also yielded a Sangam Age Chola copper coin, an exceptional discovery that reinforces the antiquity of Tamil maritime activity in the region. The coin bears the Chola tiger emblem on one side, while the reverse depicts an elephant, accompanied by additional symbols characteristic of early Chola coinage. Its discovery in southern Thailand provides tangible evidence that Tamil merchants, goods, and political symbols associated with the early Cholas had reached the Thai-Malay Peninsula many centuries before the rise of the medieval Chola Empire.

By the 9th century CE, the celebrated Takuapa Tamil inscription records the activities of the Tamil merchant guild Maṇigrāmam, confirming the existence of an organized Tamil mercantile community in peninsular Thailand. Across Southeast Asia, numerous inscriptions mention Tamil merchants, artisans, temple builders, and merchant guilds, demonstrating the remarkable extent of Tamil commercial networks throughout the region.

The relationship between Tamilakam and Southeast Asia extended far beyond trade. The Pallava script became the foundation for several early writing systems across Southeast Asia, while the worship of Karaikkal Ammaiyar, one of the earliest and most revered Tamil Śaivite saints, spread across Cambodia, Thailand, and Java, where her distinctive iconography continues to appear in temple sculptures. These discoveries reflect centuries of maritime exchange, cultural interaction, religious transmission, and artistic collaboration between Tamilakam and the kingdoms of Southeast Asia.

It is against this well-established historical background that the newly discovered gold ring from Phetchaburi should be examined. If its inscription is indeed found to be written in the Tamili script, it would not represent an isolated anomaly. Rather, it would become another significant addition to the growing body of archaeological and epigraphic evidence documenting the long-standing presence of Tamils in Southeast Asia.

A Fresh Examination of the Phetchaburi Gold Ring

Having considered the broader archaeological context, we may now turn our attention to the inscription itself.

The Phetchaburi gold ring appears to have been engraved as a seal ring rather than as an ordinary ornamental ring. One of the defining characteristics of ancient seal rings is that the engraved inscription is often executed in mirror image, so that when the ring is impressed into a soft material such as wax or clay, the resulting impression appears in its correct orientation.

This important feature does not appear to have been fully considered in the initial reading of the inscription.

During my examination of the published photographs, I observed that the engraved characters are reversed, consistent with the conventions of a seal ring. When viewed as a mirror image, the inscription presents a markedly different sequence of characters. Based on my epigraphic analysis, I believe the inscription is engraved in the Tamili script and may be read as: “அளர் வைரதன் (Aḷar Vairatan)”

The proposed reading is based on the morphology of the individual characters, their orientation, and their correspondence with known forms of the Tamili script. Each character has been examined individually and compared with established palaeographic parallels from early Tamili inscriptions.

The reading presented here is offered as a scholarly interpretation and is intended to encourage further discussion and independent examination by specialists in South Asian and Southeast Asian epigraphy. As with any newly discovered inscription, continued study of the original artefact, together with high-resolution imaging and detailed palaeographic comparison, will be essential in evaluating the proposed reading.

History is rarely transformed by a single discovery. Instead, it advances as each new piece of evidence finds its place within a much larger puzzle. The Phetchaburi gold ring has already renewed interest in one of the most fascinating chapters of Asian history—the enduring maritime connections between Tamilakam and Southeast Asia that flourished for more than two millennia.

In a forthcoming article, I will present a detailed epigraphic study of the inscription, examining the engraved characters, their orientation, and the reasons why I believe the inscription merits a fresh examination. I am also seeking an opportunity to examine the original artefact in person, as first-hand study remains indispensable for any definitive epigraphic assessment. I hope this research will encourage constructive discussion among historians, archaeologists, and epigraphists, for it is through rigorous scholarly inquiry and open academic dialogue that our understanding of the past continues to advance.

https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/gold-rings-2000-years-found-dig-thailand-archaeological-134509265?fbclid=IwY2xjawS5x5BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFWV2dKMWY3Y1ZxTVJSeWlJc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnb8Agqsi96i15bVaevJRIlzldqHLk1abaHXvwJOkz7S1tLeHFLOiEU_aaqO_aem_twK7GnnucAmsx0-hDHtFEg

BANGKOK -- Two gold rings aged around 2,000 years old were discovered during an excavation at a new archaeological site in western Thailand, officials said.

The rings were found with human bones during an ongoing dig at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in Phetchaburi province last week, the Thai government's Fine Arts Department said in a statement.

One ring found Thursday was engraved with characters believed to be Bhrami script, an ancient Indian writing system. An initial assessment by experts identified the script reading as “pusarakhitasa,” meaning “the one protected by Pushya,” said to be one of the most auspicious zodiac signs in Indian astronomy, the department said.

The other ring found with the same skeletal remains is a plain gold ring without any pattern. Experts believe the rings’ owner may have been a merchant of the Indian ancient caste system Vaishyas, the department said.

The Don Yai Thong archaeological site, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the capital Bangkok, was discovered early this year after residents found pieces of ancient bronze drums in a rice field, leading to further excavation.

The site was dated to a late prehistoric era in Thailand, a period of human settlement also known as the Iron Age, established to be around 1,500 to 2,500 years ago.

Since February, archaeologists have discovered eight human skeletons, bronze and gold jewelry, pottery and other artifacts indicating a ceremonial burial of wealthy people or members of the society’s upper classes.

The excavation is expected to be complete in another month, with plans to showcase the archaeological finds to the public, the Fine Arts Department said.

மேற்கு தாய்லாந்தில் புதிதாகக் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்ட தொல்பொருள் தளத்தில், சுமார் 2,000 ஆண்டுகள் பழமையானவை என நம்பப்படும் இரண்டு தங்க மோதிரங்களை தொல்பொருள் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்கள் கண்டெடுத்துள்ளனர் என்று அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

வியாழக்கிழமை கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்ட மோதிரங்களில் ஒன்றில், பண்டைய இந்திய எழுத்து முறையான பிராமி எழுத்துமுறையைச் சேர்ந்தவை என நம்பப்படும் எழுத்துக்கள் பொறிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன

தாய்லாந்தின் நுண்கலைத் துறையை மேற்கோள் காட்டி ஏபி செய்தி நிறுவனம் வெளியிட்ட செய்தியின்படி, பெட்சாபுரி மாகாணத்தில் உள்ள டான் யாய் தோங் தொல்பொருள் தளத்தில் கடந்த வாரம் நடைபெற்று வரும் அகழ்வாராய்ச்சியின்போது, மனித எலும்புக்கூடு எச்சங்களுடன் இந்த மோதிரங்களும் கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்டன.

வியாழக்கிழமை கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்ட மோதிரங்களில் ஒன்றில், பண்டைய இந்திய எழுத்து முறையான பிராமி எழுத்துகள் என நம்பப்படும் எழுத்துக்கள் பொறிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன. ஆரம்பகட்ட மதிப்பீட்டில், நிபுணர்கள் அந்த எழுத்துக்களில் 'புஷ்யனால் காக்கப்பட்டவர்' என்று பொருள்படும் 'புசராகிதசா' என்ற வாசகத்தை அடையாளம் கண்டனர். இது இந்திய வானியலில் மிகவும் மங்களகரமான ராசி அறிகுறிகளில் ஒன்றாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது என அந்தத் துறை தெரிவித்தது.

கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்ட மற்றொரு மோதிரம், எந்தவித வேலைப்பாடும் இல்லாத ஒரு சாதாரண தங்க மோதிரம் ஆகும். இந்த மோதிரங்களின் உரிமையாளர், இந்தியாவின் பண்டைய வைசிய சாதி அமைப்பைச் சேர்ந்த ஒரு வணிகராக இருந்திருக்கலாம் என நிபுணர்கள் நம்புவதாக அந்தத் துறை தெரிவித்துள்ளது

பிப்ரவரி மாதம் முதல், தொல்பொருள் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்கள் எட்டு மனித எலும்புக்கூடுகளுடன், வெண்கலம் மற்றும் தங்க நகைகள், மட்பாண்டங்கள் மற்றும் பிற கலைப்பொருட்களையும் கண்டெடுத்துள்ளனர். இவை, அந்த இடம் செல்வந்தர்கள் அல்லது உயர் வகுப்பினரின் சடங்கு ரீதியான அடக்கங்களுக்காகப் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டது என்பதை உணர்த்துகின்றன

என் குறிப்பு: தமிழ் வாசிப்பு பாராட்டுக்குரியது. நான் 'பூஸர கிதஸ'  பிராகிருதமாக படிக்க முயன்ற போது எழுத்துகள் சரியாக புரியவில்லை, பொருந்தவில்லை. எழுத்துகள் எதிர்மாறாக இருப்பது மட்டும் உணர முடிந்தது. கடைசி எழுத்து ந வை படிக்காமல் விட்டுவிட்டனர். முதல் எழுத்து அ போல இருந்தது. எதற்கு வம்பு என்று நான் பூஸர கிதஸ விற்கு பொருள் தேட இறங்கிவிட்டேன். ஏனென்றால் அவர்கள் கொடுத்த விளக்கம் தப்பு.  

[Raju Rajendran]

அளர் வைரதன்?? புசராகிதசா???

செவ்., 7 ஜூலை, 2026, 5:21 AM அன்று, seshadri sridharan <ssesh...@gmail.com> எழுதியது:

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Raju M. Rajendran