The Ancient Sea Trade of the Hebrews with Tamil Nadu, India with Reference to the Biblical Word 'Thukkiyyim' [Peacock]

Abstract

A living thing called 'thukkiyyim' is mentioned in the Hebrew bible which was imported from the foreign land through sea. There are some difference of opinion in the translation of this word and some of them translated this word as parrot and others as peacock. The peacock is a bird named for its colourful long feathers that lives in India. Besides Sanskrit and Tamil are the two classical languages of India. The scholars have difference of opinion between these two languages in the origin of the word 'thukkiyyim'. Some of them finalized that it is derived from the Tamil word Thogai means hanging tail. In recent times, in the European languages this bird is called as peacock. The etymologist has mentioned that the word peacock is derived from the middle English language, from the pe-that is from Old English pēa. But in Tamil the feathers of the peacock were called as pēle. This has resemblance with the Hebrew word פ ֶ ֛ ִל ׃יא pē-le means wonderful as the feathers of the peacock is also wonderful. It clearly shows the root of the English word peacock is nothing but the Hebrew word פ ֶ ֛ ִל ׃יא pē-le with reference to the Tamil language of Tamil Nadu from where the peacock was exported to Hebrew land. The reason for importing of peacock has no references in Hebrew text but has evidences in Tamil text.