Archaeological and historical research conducted so far in Eelam has confirmed
Archaeological and historical research conducted so far in Eelam has confirmed
that the origin of the Tamil language dates back to before the 6th century BCE.
In particular, during the excavations carried out in Anuradhapura and Kandy in 1969 and 1984, pottery fragments bearing Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions older than the time of Ashoka were discovered. This serves as evidence that these were in use even before the arrival of Buddhism during the time of Ashoka, as mentioned in Pali texts.
These excavations were conducted under the leadership of former Director of Archaeology, Dr. Siran Deraniyagala. Additionally, Tamil-Brahmi inscribed pottery fragments discovered in 1988, including those found in the Salgahawatta ASW 88 (88) excavation in Anuradhapura, were dated using Carbon-14 and thermoluminescence methods. Accordingly, it has been confirmed that the Tamil-Brahmi pottery fragments found in Anuradhapura and Kandy date to the period between 600–500 BCE.
Therefore, the Sinhala language emerged only around the 8th–13th centuries CE. Most of its vocabulary is derived from Pali, Tamil, and Sanskrit. Its more standardized form developed from the 14th century onward. During this same period, several languages in South India also emerged or evolved, such as Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. Similarly, Sinhala developed in a script form influenced by Pallava-era Vatteluttu, incorporating Pali, Sanskrit, and Tamil elements. Thus, even if one attempts to link the ancient Eelam Tamil society’s language (Eelapragata/Eelaprakrit) with Sinhala, there is no historical basis for such a connection, as they belong to entirely different historical periods. Attempts to bridge Tamil and Pallava-era scripts in this way are forced and unfounded.
It is also observed that the ancient Tamil society widely practiced the Ajivika tradition across the island, and both kings and common people provided shelters (palli) for these ascetics. These donations and offerings are recorded in inscriptions carved in caves. One such inscription found in Anuradhapura mentions that it was established by a Tamil identified as an “Eelabharata.” Similarly, inscriptions and coins of the Eelam Pandyan rulers of Kataragama include statements mentioning the donor’s name and lineage. These were written in the Eelapragata language used by the Eelam Tamil society of that time.
These inscriptions contain fish symbols, Jain-related terminology, and distinctive Tamil characters, along with suffixes that clearly indicate Tamil identity. Examples include names such as Uthiran, Kapadikasaan, Dasapittan, Mahasathan, and distinctly Tamil names like Nagan, Vel, Magan, Maruman, Perumagan, Perumagal, Marumagan, Boothi, Velboothan, Mallan, and others. Alongside these, symbols associated with serpent worship and Jain traditions, as well as fish emblems and names like Thisan and Thisai, further reflect Jain religious influence.
Therefore, these serve as archaeological evidence that this language existed in Eelam even before the arrival of Mahinda Thera, as described in Pali texts. Most of these inscriptions can be found in the regions of Anuradhapura and Kataragama. These cave inscriptions were compiled and published by Professor Senarath Paranavitana in his work titled Inscriptions of Ceylon, Volume 1.
In that work, Professor Senarath Paranavitana states that the language used in these cave inscriptions to record donations to the Sangha was the language used by the ancient people of Sri Lanka, and that it was not a language brought from a foreign land nor one introduced with the arrival of Buddhism.
Translation by Hari
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