“Setu” Coins Affirm Medieval Tamil Sovereignty in Jaffna
US Tamils Diaspora spotlights Tamil-language legends and Śaiva iconography as clear marks of state authority
New York, NY — October 18, 2025. US Tamils Diaspora today highlighted the historical significance of the copper “Setu” coins—minted by the Āryacakravarti kings of Jaffna—as clear, material evidence of a Tamil, Śaiva-identified sovereign polity operating in northern Sri Lanka between the late 13th and 16th centuries.
The coins, sometimes called “Setu bulls,” carry a standing ruler flanked by temple lamps on the obverse and a couchant Nandi (Śiva’s bull) with a crescent and the Tamil legend “செது / SETU” on the reverse. In pre-modern South Asia, the right to strike coinage bearing one’s own language, symbols, and titulature is a classic marker of de-facto sovereignty.
“These coins are state documents in metal,” said a spokesperson for US Tamils Diaspora. “Tamil script, Tamil Śaiva symbols, and a royal type—struck and circulated in the Jaffna heartland—together proclaim a functioning Tamil kingship.”
The term “Setu” is widely read as a reference to Rāma Setu/Adam’s Bridge and to the Āryacakravartis’ royal biruda Setukāvalan (“Guardian of the Setu”). The legend therefore asserts both religious identity and maritime authority across the Palk Strait, linking Jaffna to Rāmeśvaram in Tamil Nadu.
“Findspots concentrate in Jaffna and the Palk Strait littoral, with additional finds across southern Tamil Nadu,” the spokesperson added. “That distribution mirrors the pearl fisheries, ferries, and trade corridors historically controlled by the Āryacakravarti—an integrated Tamil maritime world.”
Why It Matters
The Setu series are the first widely circulating Sri Lankan coins with a Tamil legend. They offer tangible, datable anchors for discussing Tamil language, kingship, religion, and commerce in the late medieval period—beyond chronicles and later reconstructions.
About US Tamils Diaspora
US Tamils Diaspora advances research, education, and cultural understanding of Tamil history and heritage, partnering with scholars, museums, and communities across the globe.