Re: [tamil] Tilmun: Tamil Teak in Sumeria
Here's another piece of evidence:
At 12:32 AM 12/18/00 +1100, Bala Pillai wrote:
>Tilmun: Tamil Teak in Sumeria
>
>[Bala: Here's a piece of evidence that needs a bit more corroboration -
>that Tamil teak (most probably Malabarian, [which was part of Tamil
>Kingdom then]) that is said to have been found in Ur, Sumeria]
>
>http://www.swordoftruth.com/swordoftruth/archives/miscarticles/imaaihc.html
>
>"The story of Indian Teak goes back to at least 3000 years BC A piece of
>Indian teak is found in the ruins of Mugheir, and we know that ancient Ur
>of the Chaldeas ruled not less than 3000 years BC."
Trade and Commerce During the Sangam age (excerpt)
- N.K. MANGALA MURUGESAN
http://www.intamm.com/trade/commerce.htm
On the question of Tamilakam's earliest trade relationship with foreign
nations conflicting views have been held. Sayce in his Hibbert lectures on
the basis of the following assumption points out the commercial intercourse
between Sumeria and South India. The first fact mentioned by him is that
Indian teak, presumably belonging to Malabar in South India, was found in
the ruins of Ur, the capital of the Sumerian Kings. The second fact is that
the word 'Sindhu' or muslin is mentioned in an ancient Babylonjian list of
clothing.28 In respect of the teak wood found in the ruins of the temples
of Moon-God at Ur, it is possible that it was imported from Kerala, but
this fact is not indisputably established. It is not certain that at that
early period of time no nearer region had teak wood which could have been
utilised at Ur. "As regards Sindhu the occurrence of 'S' in the word has
been indicated that muslin did not reach.
P.T. Srinivasa Aiyangar attempted to trace the existence of commercial
relationship between South India and West Asia from so early a period as
the 4th millennium B.C. on the basis of similarity of words found inTulu
and Kannada, neither of which had such an early origin.29 Dr. K.K. Pillay
pointed out that imagination was stretched too far and the piece of
reasoning was at best conjectural.
The view advanced that the 3rd Millennium B.C. is also based on doubtful
basis. Muslin and spices were conveyed from South India to Egypt.30 But it
cannot be asserted as has done that they went from Kerala. The principal
articles imported into Egypt were gold and silver ivory, ebony, rare
animals and plants which were mostly products from North Eastern and
Equatorial Africa.31
The view, that in the 15th century B.C. only trade developed is also not
definite. In the Bible, there is a reference to cinnamon as an ingredient
in the perfume used in the ritual at the Tabernacle erected by Moses. It is
argued that the maritime trade of Kerala was in vogue in 1490 because it is
believed that the Tabernacle was built in 1490. There is no direct
reference to the import from Kerala.
In the old Testament there are references to certain spices and other
articles in connection with the visit of queen sheba to king solomon of
Issad sometimes about 990 B.C. Among the commodities peacocks and
sandalwood are also mentioned. It is definitely certain that 'Tuki' the
Hebrew for peacock is derived from the Tamil word Tokai. In Malaipadukadam
and Kurinjippattu the word Tokai denotes peacock only.32 The fact that
peacocks went from Tamilakam in the 10th Century B.C. shows that there
existed some trade relationships.
An active sea-borne commerce was carried on from about 700 B.C. between
Babylon and the East. This is proved by the history of the Chinese. An
early colony of South Indian merchants is believed to have been established
in Babyloon where it continued to flourish till the 7th Century A.D. Under
the persian Emperor Darices in the 5th Century B.C., the Indian commerce
was further extended and the merchants continued the trade. Loan words from
the Tamil language in Hebrew and Aramaic confirm the existence of trade
relations in the past.33
28. Sayce : Hibbert Lecturers, 1887 (London, 1889).
29.P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar, History of th Tamils, (1929
p.39). It is
contended, by him that Musilin must have been exported
directly by sea
from South India and that the Babylonian word is
derived from the old
Draividan word 'sindhi' which in Tulu and Kannada
denotes even today
a
piece of cloth.
30.W.H. Schoff, The periplus of the Erythrean Sea, p.3.
31.J. Kennedy, Early Commerce of Babylon with India,
Journal of Royal
Asiatic Society, 1898, p.243.
32.Malaipadukadam : 44; Kurinjippattu : 191. The
contention of Vaiyapuri
Pillai in his History of Tamil Language and Literature
(pp. 8-10) that the
word originally meant only the tail or feather is
incorrect.
33.Betel = Verrilai; Hel = Elam; Keri = Kari; Onetry =
Arici. Zengiril = Injiver;
Ahal = Ahil, Tuki = Togai.
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