UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Tamil Brahmi inscriptions in Egypt point to ancient trade links

Q1. Which one of the following is NOT correctly described in the context of the recent Tamil-Brahmi inscription finds linking India and Roman Egypt?

1. Theban Necropolis — the cluster of tombs in Egypt where the ~30 Indian-language inscriptions have been identified
2. Berenike — a Red Sea port in Egypt where Tamil-Brahmi inscribed pottery sherds had earlier been reported
3. Arikamedu — an Egyptian tomb site where additional Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions were found in 2024–25
4. Muziris — an ancient South Indian port associated with Indo-Roman maritime trade

• A. 1 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 3 only
• D. 3 and 4 only

Q2. In the context of the recent inscriptions reported from Egypt's Valley of the Kings, what does the term 'Tamil-Brahmi' most accurately refer to?

• A. A script of the Brahmi family adapted to write Old Tamil
• B. A Dravidian dialect spoken only by Sangam-age traders abroad
• C. A variety of Prakrit used exclusively in Indo-Roman trade contracts
• D. A cuneiform writing system used by Tamil merchants in Mesopotamia

Q3. The 2024–25 study that identified about 30 Indian-language inscriptions in Egypt's Valley of the Kings was led by scholars affiliated to which of the following institutions?

• A. Archaeological Survey of India and the Indian Council of Historical Research
• B. École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO), Paris and the University of Lausanne
• C. British Museum and the University of Oxford
• D. Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and Cairo University

Q4. The paper 'From the Valley of the Kings to India: Indian Inscriptions in Egypt', which formally announced the new Tamil-Brahmi findings in February 2026, was presented at which of the following forums?

• A. International Conference on Tamil Epigraphy
• B. World Archaeological Congress
• C. Indian History Congress
• D. International Congress of Egyptologists