[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 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s19: 4.16 Trade Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s19 - **Language:** English ## Contents - [c23.s19.t1 4.16.1 The merchant guild](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t1) — 3 parts - [c23.s19.t2 4.16.2 Merchants and traders](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t2) — 1 part - [c23.s19.t3 4.16.3 Commodities of trade](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t3) — 2 parts ### 4.16 Trade ### 4.16.1 The merchant guild ### [c23.s19.t1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t1.1) Two inscriptions at Mangulam (Nos. \*3\* & \*6\*, ca. 2nd century B.C.) refer to the merchant guild \*nikama\* (\< Pkt. nigama) at \*veḷ-aṟai\* (Veḷḷaṟai) identified with the modern village of Vellarippatti near Mangulam. The members of the guild, \*nikama(t)tōr\*, acting collectively, carved the numerous stone beds found in one of the caves at this site. ### [c23.s19.t1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t1.2) A pottery inscription from Kodumanal,¹ known as a place of manufacture of gems and weapons, reads \*ni kā ma\* (\*nikama\*) indicating that merchant guilds were established at several industrial and trade centres in ancient Tamil country. ### [c23.s19.t1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t1.3) ¹ Y. Subbarayalu, Catalogue of Pottery Inscriptions from Kodumanal 1996 (unpublished): No. 88. ### 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. ### 4.16.3 Commodities of trade ### [c23.s19.t3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t3.1) The commodities traded by the merchants mentioned in the inscriptions at Alagarmalai and Pugalur are as follows: ### [c23.s19.t3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19.t3.2) | (i) | \*aṟuvai\* | : | 'cloth' | | (ii) | \*u(p)pu\* | : | 'salt' | | (iii) | \*eṇṇai\* (LT \*eṇṇey\*) | : : | 'oil' | | (iv) | \*koḻu\* | : | 'ploughshare' | | (v) | \*pāṇita(m)\* | : | 'gur' (unrefined sugar, molasses) | | (vi) | \*poṉ\* | : | 'gold' | --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c23.s19) · Pramāṇa