Tamil Bell

The Tamil Bell is a broken bell of bronze, which was discovered by the missionary William Colenso in 1836 in New Zealand. It was used by Maori women near Whangarei Northland New Zealand as a pot for boiling potatoes.

Texture and meaning

The bell is 13 cm high and 9 cm wide. To its border an inscription is engraved. The writing is a variant of the old Tamil script. Translated, the inscription " Mukiayatens ship's bell ." Since some of the characters have in the inscription an archaic form that no longer exists in the modern Tamil script, the age of the bell could be dated back to over 500 years.

The discovery of the bell triggered speculation about a possible presence of Tamils ​​in New Zealand, but it could be also passes through trading contacts with the Maori in the area. The bell is preserved in the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa.

Swell

  • Kerry R. Howe (2003). The Quest for Origins: Who First Discovered and Settled New Zealand and the Pacific Islands? Auckland: Penguin.
  • Te Papa Tongarewa, FAQ: What is the Tamil Bell?. Accessed 13 September 2007.
  • Cultural Monument (New Zealand)
  • History of New Zealand
  • Single bell
  • Tamils
Māori people
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