8) A RARE 16TH CENTURY PORTUGUESE TOMBSTONE ON THE BEACH WALKWAY, FORT KOCHI

 

It is very uncommon to come across a 16th century European tombstone in India. To the best of my knowledge, Cochin is the only place in Kerala which can vouch for European gravestones from the 16th century. The St Francis church of Fort Cochin can proudly boast of having 10 gravestones from the 16th century. Two to three tombstones in the Thrissur Mural Art Museum can be dated to 16th century, but they were discovered originally from Cochin or Kodungallur and were brought to Thrissur afterwards.

Here is one more tombstone from the same period, standing alone in an open walkway in Fort Kochi without being noticed by anyone. Interestingly, Julian James Cotton has reported this tombstone along with 7 more scattered in the streets of Fort Cochin way back in 1905. All but one of them were from the 16th century. Surprisingly, only this particular tombstone has survived, the rest all have disappeared without leaving a trace. Cotton is very specific about its location in 1905 as 'near a well on the square which faces Santa Cruz High School'. Below is the link to the post I had uploaded for the gravestone of  DIOGO PEREZ dated 15th January, 1581 in my blog, 'Jewish Monuments of Kerala'.

A 16TH CENTURY (1581?) PORTUGUESE TOMBSTONE NEAR THE FORT KOCHI BEACH

Reference

Cotton, Julian James (1905)-List of Inscriptions on Tombs or Monuments in Madras.