Kollam/Quilon Syrian copper plates, also known as Kollam Tarisappalli copper plates, or Kottayam inscription of Sthanu Ravi, or Tabula Quilonensis record a royal grant issued by the chieftain of Kollam to a Syrian Christian merchant magnate in Kerala.' The royal charter is engraved in old Malayalam in Vattezhuthu on six copper plates.' The document is one of the important historical inscriptions of Kerala, the date of which has been accurately determined. The charter is dated to the 5thregnal year of the Chera/Perumal ruler Sthanu Ravi "Kulasekhara". The sixth plate contains a number of signatures of the witnesses to the grant in Arabic, Middle Persian and Judeo-Persian. Until recently it was believed that six plates formed two separate grants issued by Kerala rulers to the Syrian Christian merchants. One part of the copper plates is kept at the Devalokam Aramana of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church while the other is at Poolatheen Aramana of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church.
Summarised prescription
Fifth regnal year of king Sthanu Ravi.
*The grant was made in the presence of prince Vijayaraga, the Chera/Perumal representative to Venad, Venad chieftain Ayyan Adikal Tiruvatikal and the junior chieftain Rama Tiruvatikal.
*The grant was made in the presence of important officers of the chiefdom and the representatives of merchant guilds anjuvannam and manigramam.
*The Six Hundred of Venad, the Nair militia of the chiefdom, was jointly entrusted with the protection of the corporation
Mechant Mar Sapir Iso, the founder the Kollam trading corporation, built the "Church of Tarisa" at Kollam. Sapir Iso had recruited two merchant guilds as the tenants of the corporation.
The charter granted Sapir Iso several titles, rights and aristocratic privileges.
The charter granted plots of land and serfs to the church and the corporation.
* The charter granted Sapir Iso personnel like agricultural laborers, carpenters, toddy tappers and salt-makers - some arrangements were also made regarding their protection and maintenance.
The grants also throws light on the system of taxation that prevailed in the port of Kollam, as several taxes such as a profession tax, sales tax and vehicle tax are mentioned.
Witnesses to grant
The vertical plate contains a number of signatures of the witnesses to the grant in Arabic, Middle Persian and Judeo-Persian.
