The Đông Yên Châu Inscription (c. 350 CE) is one of the most significant archaeological finds in Southeast Asia. Found in 1936 near the ancient Champa capital of Simhapura (modern-day Trà Kiệu, Vietnam), it holds a unique place in history as the oldest surviving document written in an Austronesian language.
Historical Significance
- Oldest Austronesian Text: It predates the earliest Malay inscriptions (like the Kedukan Bukit) by more than 300 years, making it the first written evidence of any language in the Austronesian family, which includes modern Malay, Indonesian, Tagalog, and Cham.
- Cultural Fusion: The text is written in Pallava script (a South Indian Brahmic script) but the language is Old Cham. It demonstrates how early Southeast Asian kingdoms adapted Indian writing systems to record their own indigenous languages.
- Religious Context: It provides evidence of early Hinduism in the Champa kingdom, specifically the cult of the Naga (serpent) associated with a king, likely Bhadravarman I.
The Text (Old Cham vs. Modern Malay)
The inscription is a short "imprecatory formula"—essentially a curse or warning to protect a sacred spring or well. Linguists find it fascinating because the grammar and vocabulary are strikingly similar to modern Malay and Cham.
| Old Cham (Inscription) | Modern Malay | English Translation |
| Ni yang nāga punya putauv | Ini yang naga punya putao | This is the king's serpent. |
| Ya urāng sepuy di ko... | Ya orang sopan di kau... | O people who respect it... |
| ...kurun ko jemā labuh nari svarggah. | ...kurun kau jamã labuh dari syurga. | ...for you, jewels fall from heaven. |
| Ya urāng paribhū di ko... | Ya orang peribu (hina) di kau... | O people who insult it... |
| ...saribu thun davam di naraka. | ...seribu tahun diam di neraka. | ...a thousand years you stay in hell. |
Key Terms & Insights
- Punya: The use of "punya" as a marker of possession is still used in colloquial Malay/Indonesian today.
- Naga & Svarggah: These are Sanskrit loanwords (Naga = Serpent, Svarga = Heaven), showing that Indian philosophical concepts were already deeply integrated into the local culture by the 4th century.
- Location: Found in Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam, it confirms that the Central Vietnam coastline was inhabited by Austronesian-speaking Chamic people during this period, rather than Austroasiatic groups.
THE CHAMPA KINGDOM
The Champa Kingdom (c. 2nd century – 1832 CE) was a powerful, maritime-oriented civilization of Austronesian-speaking people (the Cham) located along the central and southern coast of modern-day Vietnam.
Unlike the centralized Vietnamese state to the north, Champa was often a confederation of several smaller principalities (a "mandala") united by a common language, culture, and Hindu-Buddhist religion.
The Five Principalities
Champa was typically divided into five major regions, often shifting in power:
- Indrapura: Centered around Da Nang; known for the Buddhist sanctuary of Đồng Dương.
- Amaravati: Home to the religious heart of Champa, the Mỹ Sơn temple complex.
- Vijaya: The capital for several centuries (modern-day Bình Định); famous for its massive brick towers.
- Kauthara: Centered in Nha Trang; home to the Po Nagar temple dedicated to the mother goddess.
- Panduranga: The southernmost region (Phan Rang); the last part of Champa to be absorbed by Vietnam.
Maritime & Economic Power
The Cham were legendary seafarers and traders. They sat at the "Choke Point" of the Maritime Silk Road.
- Trade Monopoly: They controlled the flow of spices, silk, and porcelain between China, India, and the Abbasid Caliphate.
- Highland Riches: They traded luxury forest products from the interior (Central Highlands), such as eaglewood (agarwood), ivory, and rhinoceros horns.
- Champa Rice: One of their greatest legacies. They developed a drought-resistant, fast-growing rice variety that was so successful it was exported to Song Dynasty China, fueling a massive population boom there.
Religion and Architecture
- Indianization: Champa was heavily influenced by Indian culture. Shaivism (worship of Shiva) was the state religion for much of its history, though Buddhism also flourished (notably at Đồng Dương).
- Brickwork Mastery: Cham architects were masters of red brick. Their temples (known as Kalan) were built without visible mortar, using a sophisticated technique that keeps the bricks bonded for over a thousand years.
- Islam: Starting around the 10th century, Islam began to spread via Arab and Malay traders. Over centuries, many Cham converted, particularly in the south and among those who migrated to Cambodia.
Conflict and Decline
Champa’s history was defined by a long, "Push-Pull" conflict with two major neighbors:
- The Khmer Empire: Frequent wars occurred with the Khmers of Angkor (depicted on the bas-reliefs of the Bayon temple).
- Đại Việt (Vietnam): The most existential threat came from the north. Through the "Nam Tiến" (Southward March), the Vietnamese gradually annexed Champa territory.
- 1471: A turning point where the Vietnamese army sacked the capital, Vijaya, leading to a massive Cham diaspora to Malacca, Sumatra (Aceh), and Cambodia.
- 1832: The final principality, Panduranga, was officially annexed by Emperor Minh Mạng, ending Champa as a political entity.
Modern Legacy
Today, the Cham people are a recognized ethnic minority in Vietnam and Cambodia. They are divided into two main groups:
- Cham Balamon: Those who practice a localized form of Hinduism (mainly in Vietnam).
- Cham Bani / Muslims: Those who practice Islam (found in both Vietnam and Cambodia).
KAUTHARA AND QANTURA (KETURAH)
While there is no established archaeological or historical evidence connecting Kauthara (a region of Champa) with Qantura (Keturah), the wife of Prophet Abraham, the two names are often brought together in modern folk etymology and "alternative history" theories in Southeast Asia.
Here is the breakdown of the actual linguistic and historical roots of both names:
1. Kauthara (Champa)
- Etymology: The name Kauthara is purely Sanskrit in origin. In Hindu/Sanskrit contexts, Kauthara refers to a sacred vessel or can be related to the "Kauṭhāra" patronymic.
- Historical Context: It was the name of a major principality in the Champa Kingdom (modern-day Nha Trang, Vietnam). The earliest mentions of Kauthara appear in 8th-century inscriptions (such as those at the Po Nagar temple), long before Islam had a significant presence in the region.
- Meaning: In the specific context of Champa, Kauthara was the seat of the goddess Yan Po Nagar, and the name was part of the "Sanskritization" of the region, where cities were given grand Indian names (like Indrapura or Panduranga).
2. Qantura / Keturah (Islamic & Biblical Tradition)
- Etymology: Qantura (Arabic: قنطوراء) is the Arabic form of the Hebrew name Keturah (קְטוּרָה), which likely means "incense" or "perfume."
- Identity: According to the Bible and Islamic tradition, she was the wife Abraham married after Sarah's death.
- The "Banu Qantura": In Islamic eschatology (Hadith), there are mentions of the Banu Qantura (the Children of Qantura). Historically, early Muslim scholars and chroniclers (like Ibn al-Athir) identified the Banu Qantura as the Turks or sometimes the Central Asian Mongols, due to descriptions of them having "broad faces and small eyes."
Why is there a perceived connection?
The idea that they are connected usually stems from phonetic similarity (Kauthara vs. Qantura) and specific cultural narratives:
- Malay/Cham Islamic Narratives: Within some Malay and Cham traditions, there is a desire to link the origins of the Malay-Polynesian (Austronesian) peoples to "lost tribes" or Biblical/Quranic figures to integrate their history with Islamic heritage.
- The "Eastern" Link: Since the Bible mentions that Abraham sent the sons of Keturah "to the East," some modern theorists speculate that "the East" refers to the Malay Archipelago or Champa.
- Linguistic Confusion: In Arabic, the word Kawthar (as in Al-Kawthar, "Abundance") sounds similar to Kauthara. This adds another layer of religious resonance that leads people to search for a link between the Champa kingdom and Islamic prophecy.
Summary
Historically and linguistically, Kauthara is a Sanskrit name from Hindu Champa, while Qantura is a Semitic name from Middle Eastern tradition. There is no academic evidence that the Champa city was named after the wife of Abraham.
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Google Gemini AI
12 January 2026: 10.21 p.m
