Tamil inscriptions in Sri Lanka date from the centuries BCE to the modern era. The vast majority of inscriptions date to the centuries following the 10th century AD, and were issued under the reigns of both Tamil and Sinhala rulers alike. Out of the Tamil rulers, almost all surviving inscriptions were issued under the occupying Chola dynasty, whilst one stone inscription and coins of the Jaffna Kingdom have also been found.
Most inscriptions are of a Hindu or Buddhist nature, or record the exploits of merchants, soldiers, officials and kings.
The longest Tamil inscription in the island is from the Lankatilaka Vihara, for which historian K. Indrapala states the following:
Early AnurÃÂdhapura period (300 BC â 300 AD)
Anaikoddai seal, Jaffna
Tissamaharama coins with Tamil Brahmi legends
Tamil letters and words in Prakrit inscriptions
The following Prakrit inscriptions are included for completion as they are related to Tamils:
Tamil house-holder inscription, AnurÃÂdhapura
Periya-Puliyankuḷam inscription 1, Vavuniya
Periya-Puliyankuḷam inscription 2, Vavuniya
Kuá¸Âuvil inscription, Amparai
Seruwila inscription, Trincomalee
Talagahagoda Vihara inscription, Matale
Ihalagala inscription, AnurÃÂdhapura
Late AnurÃÂdhapura period (8thâÂÂ9th centuries AD)
Abhayagiriya Tamil Buddhist inscription, AnurÃÂdhapura
Ruvanvalisaya Tamil Buddhist inscription, AnurÃÂdhapura
Pankuḷiya Tamil Buddhist inscription, AnurÃÂdhapura
NÃÂnkunÃÂá¹Âá¹ÂÃÂr Tamil Buddhist Inscription from AnurÃÂdhapura
Two slab inscriptions from Hindu ruins, AnurÃÂdhapura
Chola period (993âÂÂ1070 AD)
Nilaveli Slab Inscription in the reign of Rajaraja I, Trincomalee
Koneswaram inscription of Rajaraja I, Trincomalee
Kielekadawala Siva kovil inscription of Rajaraja I, Trincomalee
Padaviya inscription of the reign of Rajaraja I
Tirukketisvaram inscription in the reign of Rajaraja I, Mannar
Tirukketisvaram inscriptions in the reign of Rajendra Chola I, Mannar
Pathirakali Amman temple inscription of Rajendra Chola I, Trincomalee
Slab inscription of Rajendra Chola I from Trincomalee Fort
Two fragmentary Chola Inscriptions from Kayts Fort, Jaffna
Siva Devale No. 2 inscription, Polonnaruwa
Three fragmentary Chola inscriptions from Polonnaruwa
Three fragmentary Chola inscriptions from Siva Devale No. 2, Polonnaruwa
Four short inscriptions from Siva Devale No. 1, Padaviya
KantaḷÃÂy Chola Lankeswaran inscription, Trincomalee
MÃÂnÃÂnkÃÂni Chola Lankeswaran inscription, Trincomalee
Sangilikanadarawa Chola inscription, Anuradhapura
Diyavinna inscription, Sabaragamuwa
Sixteen Tamil Buddhist inscriptions from Velgam Vihara, Trincomalee
Atakada inscription recording endowment to Saiva Temple
Four pillar inscriptions from Polonnaruwa
Ainnurruvar Slab inscription from Ataragala, Puttalam
Colombo museum Rajendra Chola II inscription
Medirigiriya Tamil slab inscription, Polonnaruwa
Vanavanmatevi-isvaram inscription, Polonnaruwa
Chola inscription from Jaffna Fort
Chola era Tamil inscriptions from Thirumangalai, Trincomalee
Ainnurruvar Polonnaruva Bolappaḷḷi inscription
Polonnaruwa period (1070âÂÂ1215 AD)
Following the expulsion of the Cholas, VijayabÃÂhu I retained their administrative structure and made significant changes only at the top. The reference to a register of Tamil clerks (Demaḷa lesdaru pota) in VijayabÃÂhu's Panakaduva Copper Plate inscription points to his employment of Tamil officers in the administration. Possibly many of them continued in service from the time of Chola rule.
VÃÂḷaikkÃÂrar slab inscription of Vijayabahu I, Polonnaruwa
Palamottai slab inscription in the reign of Vijayabahu I, Trincomalee
Padaviya Virasasana inscription
Kulnoor potters' inscription, Trincomalee
Budumuttava Virakkoti inscription
Vahalkada slab inscription, AnurÃÂdhapura
Viharehinna merchant inscription, Dambulla
Kodaliparichan inscription of VÃÂḷaikkÃÂrar MÃ
«vÃÂntavÃÂḷÃÂn in the years of Jayabahu I, Vavuniya
KantaḷÃÂy inscription in the years of Jayabahu I, Trincomalee
KantaḷÃÂy gal ÃÂsana inscription, Trincomalee
Mankanay pillar inscription of Gajabahu II, Trincomalee
Mayilankulam VÃÂḷaikkÃÂrar inscription in the years of Jayabahu I, Trincomalee
Budumuttava pillar inscriptions in the years of Jayabahu I, Kurunegala
Puliyankulam pillar inscription of Jayabahu I, AnurÃÂdhapura
Rankot Vihara Velaikkaran inscription of Jayabahu I, Polonnaruwa
Mailawewa VÃÂḷaikkÃÂrar pillar inscription, Trincomalee
Moragahavela inscription in the reign of Gajabahu II, Polonnaruwa
Mahakirindegama pillar inscription in the reign of Gajabahu II, AnurÃÂdhapura
Hingurakdamana pillar inscription in the reign of Gajabahu II, Polonnaruwa
KantaḷÃÂy pillar inscriptions of Gajabahu II, Trincomalee
Polonnaruwa pillar inscription of Gajabahu II
Galtampitiya Virakkoá¹Âi inscription
Nainativu Tamil inscription of Parakramabahu I, Jaffna
Panduvasnuvara inscription of Nissanka Malla
Jetavana NÃÂnÃÂdesi bronze image, AnurÃÂdhapura
Ridiyegama NÃÂnÃÂdesi Bronze seal, Hambantota
Transitional period (1215âÂÂ1619 AD)
Gomarankadawala rock inscription of Magha, Trincomalee
Thampalakamam Slab inscription of Magha, Trincomalee
Rankot Vihara VÃÂḷaikkÃÂran Matevan inscription, Polonnaruwa
Villunti Kantucuvami Koyil inscription of Buddhapriya, Trincomalee
Welikanda Ainnurruvar slab inscription
Dediyamulla Virakkoti slab inscription, Kurunegala
Mahiyalla Tamil inscription, Kurunegala
Perilamaiyar inscriptions of Padaviya
Fragmentary inscription from AnurÃÂdhapura museum
(The following three Sanskrit inscriptions have been included for completion, as they were issued by Tamils.)
Padaviya Sanskrit bronze seal
VÃÂḷaikkÃÂrar Sanskrit Buddhist inscription of Padaviya
Sanskrit inscription of Codaganga from Trincomalee
Fragmentary inscription from Periyapuliyankulam, Vavuniya
Kankuveli inscription, Trincomalee
Kotagama slab inscription of Arya Chakravarti, Kegalle
Lankatilaka Vihara inscription of Bhuvanaikabahu IV
Galle trilingual inscription of Zheng He
Thirukkovil pillar inscription, Amparai
Munnesvaram inscription of Parakramabahu VI
Fragmentary Jaffna inscription of Parakramabahu VI
Naimmana inscription of Parakramabahu VI, Matara
Kalutara pillar inscription
Kankuveli Agasthi Stapana Kovil inscription, Trincomalee
Tamil pillar inscription in the reign of Vijayabahu VI
Thambiluvil inscription of Vijayabahu VI, Amparai
Coins of the Jaffna Kingdom
Trincomalee Fort Koneswaram inscription
Tamil inscriptions from Thirumangalai, Trincomalee
Late Kandyan period (1619 - 1815 AD)
Thirumangalai Temple Bell inscription, Trincomalee
Tamil conch inscription
Veeramunai Copper plates in the reign of Senarat, Amparai
Sammanthurai Copper plates in the reign of Rajasinghe II, Amparai
Verugal Copper Plates of the Vanniyar, Trincomalee
References