Tamil bell

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The Tamil Bell is a broken bronze bell discovered in approximately 1836 by the missionary William Colenso. It was being used as a pot to boil potatoes by Māori women near Whangarei in the Northland Region of New Zealand.

The bell is 13 cm long and 9 cm deep, and has an inscription. The inscription running around the rim of the bell has been identified as old Tamil.(see pic here) Translated it says "Muhayideen Baksh’s ship’s bell". Some of the characters in the inscription are of an archaic form no longer seen in modern Tamil script; thus suggesting that the bell could be about 500 years old. The discovery of the bell has led to speculation about a possible Tamil presence in New Zealand, but the bell 'is not in itself proof of early Tamil contact with New Zealand' (Howe 2003:145).

[edit] References

  • Kerry R. Howe (2003). The Quest for Origins: Who First Discovered and Settled New Zealand and the Pacific Islands? Auckland:Penguin.
  • Nancy Swarbrick. 'Sri Lankans', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 25-Jul-2007. URL:[1]
  • Te Papa Tongarewa, FAQ: What is the Tamil Bell?. Accessed 13 September 2007.
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