[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003) › c23.s19.t2 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s19.t2: 4.16.2 Merchants and traders Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s19.t2 - **Language:** English ### 4.16.2 Merchants and traders ### [c23.s19.t2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t2.1) Merchants trading in various commodities figure as donors in the inscriptions at Alagarmalai (Nos. \*39\*, \*42\*, \*43\* & \*46\*, ca. 1st century B.C.) and Pugalur (Nos. \*69\* & \*70\*, ca. 3rd century A.D.). The variants \*vaṇikaṉ\* / \*vāṇikaṉ\* 'merchant, trader' found in these inscriptions are also attested in early Tamil works and in later Tamil inscriptions. The merchants who made the endowments at Alagarmalai are stated to be from \*mattirai\* (read \*matirai\*), the Pāṇṭiya capital (Madurai). One of the merchants referred to in the Pugalur inscriptions hailed from \*karu-ūr\* (Karur), the Cēra capital. As mentioned earlier, the merchant classes in the Tamil country were supporters of the Buddhist and Jaina religions. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t2) · Pramāṇa