To deepen the understanding of ancient maritime trade relations, two archaeologists from the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archeology (TNSDA) have joined a team to begin excavations at Berenike, an ancient port city on the Red Sea coast of Egypt, where sherds with Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions were previously unearthed, offering evidence of trade links between the ancient Tamils.
TNSDA Joint Director R. Sivanantham and M. Ramesh, an archaeologist who worked on the Keeladi excavations, joined a 30-member team of archaeological and technical experts from the Polish Center for Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland, to participate in the excavations at Berenike.
Speaking to The Hindu from Berenike, Mr. Sivanantham said, “A series of excavations have been carried out at Berenike, an ancient port city on the Red Sea coast that served as a vital link in Mediterranean trade. TNSDA’s participation in the current season of excavations – carried out after signing an agreement with the Polish Center for Mediterranean Archeology – aims to identify further evidence of the connection between Tamil Roman trade and ancient Mediterranean trade.”
Earlier excavations at Red Sea ports in Egypt, including Berenike and Quseir al-Qadim, yielded sherds with Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions. In his book Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD, veteran epigrapher Iravatham Mahadevan comprehensively documented Tamil-Brahmin pottery inscriptions found outside India, including those at ancient Roman settlements along the Red Sea coast of Egypt.
During excavations at Berenike in 1995, archaeologists uncovered a shard with the Tamil-Brahmi text korrapuman. Excavations at Quseir al-Qadim yielded sherds bearing the Tamil-Brahman texts kanan and catan.
Mr. Sivanantham said the current excavation season began on Monday near the 10-acre site where the temple was discovered in one of the earlier phases. The excavation will continue till December 17, he added.
Published – 17 Nov 2025 20:33 IST
