Monday 16/February/2026 – 03:17 PM
A group of Indian news agencies and newspapers interested in archaeological affairs circulated a new archaeological discovery that sheds light on the historical ties between Egypt and India. It is a group of Tamil Brahmi inscriptions inside the tombs of the Valley of the Kings on the western mainland of Luxor, which dates back to the royal era of the New Kingdom.
The discovery of ancient Tamil inscriptions in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings reveals trade between Egypt and India
According to researchers, about 30 inscriptions were found, 20 of which are in the Tamil language, in addition to Prakrit, Sanskrit and Gandhari inscriptions, dating back to the period between the first and third centuries AD during the rule of the Roman Empire. Scientists believe that these inscriptions were recorded by visiting Indian merchants from northwestern, western, and southern India who were frequenting Egypt at that time, where they recorded their names as a souvenir of their visit.
The inscriptions include well-known Indian names such as Sikkai or Sijay Kuran, whose name is repeated in about six royal tombs, including the tomb of King Ramesses VI, and other names such as Kuban, Katan, Kiran, also documented in ancient Tamil inscriptions from southern India.
This discovery was announced by Professor Ingo Strauch from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, in cooperation with Professor Charlotte Schmid from the French Institute of Asian Studies in Paris, during an international conference on Tamil inscriptions, where the two researchers documented the inscriptions discovered in the years 2024 and 2025, and presented a research paper entitled: “From the Valley of the Kings to India: Indian inscriptions in Egypt” at the International Conference of Tamil Inscriptions in Chennai, India on February 11, 2026.
The discovery reveals that Indian merchants were not limited to Egyptian ports as previously thought, but rather went deep into Egyptian territory and visited the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and recorded their names in Indian languages as part of traditional memorial customs, which indicates their spirit of exploration and adventure.
The research also indicated that this discovery enhances the understanding of trade relations between ancient India and the Roman civilization in Egypt, where the trade of spices, semi-precious stones, textiles, and ivory flourished between India and the ports of Egypt, which linked the Roman Empire to the rest of the world.
Indian discoveries inside Egyptian lands
It is noteworthy that Indian discoveries inside Egyptian territory are not the first. A Polish-American archaeological mission in the city of Bryniki on the Red Sea coast since 1994 uncovered a statue of Buddha from the Roman era, measuring 71 cm in height and depicting a standing Buddha holding part of his clothing in his left hand, surrounded by a solar halo and a lotus flower, which confirms Egypt’s role as a global commercial center.
It is worth noting that, so far, no official statement has been issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to confirm or deny the results of this research, but it aroused the interest of the Indian and international media and reopened the file of ancient trade relations between Egypt and India.
