Local rulers in Kerala gave the Saint Thomas Christians various rights and privileges which were written on copper plates. These are known as Cheppeds, Royal Grants, Sasanam, etc. There are a number of such documents in the possession of the Syrian churches of Kerala which include the "Thazhekad Sasanam", the Quilon Plates (or the "Tharisappalli Chepped"s), "Mampally Sasanam" and "Iraviikothan Chepped", etc. Some of these plates are said to be dated around 774 AD. Scholars have studied the inscriptions and produced varying translations. The language used is Old Malayalam in Vattezhuthu intermingled with some Grantha script and Pahlavi, Kufic and Hebrew signatures.