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An underwater archaeological excavation has begun at Poompuhar, the ancient Chola capital on the Tamil Nadu coast, from September 19. Once known as Kaveripoompattinam, the site lies at the mouth of the Kaveri River in Mayiladuthurai district and was a major centre of maritime trade during the Sangam period.
The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA), in collaboration with the Indian Maritime University, has launched the project, which is the first underwater survey at Poompuhar since 1991. The exploration covers the stretch between Poompuhar and Nagapattinam, another historic port city with medieval links to Southeast Asia.
The initiative was announced by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, who also holds the archaeology portfolio. A team led by archaeologist K Rajan and TNSDA Joint Director R Sivanantham has started the survey, with divers mapping and documenting anomalies on the seabed using advanced equipment.
The Minister said that the project highlights Chief Minister MK Stalin’s efforts to showcase the antiquity of Tamil civilisation.
“In the era of the three great kings, in Sangam literature, and the epics following the Sangam period , the port city of Kaveripoompattinam, now known as Poompuhar in the present-day Mayiladuthurai district, was a major hub of maritime trade. These research efforts serve as an excellent example of the initiatives undertaken by the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr MK Stalin, to forth the antiquity of ancient Tamils and his dedication to making our heritage known to the world.” Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said.
The initiative follows major discoveries at Keezhadi, where excavations revealed evidence of an urban civilisation dating back around 2,500 years. Referring to the excavations at Keezhadi, Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “Keezhadi is our motherland, we declared! Next, we will reveal the glory of Poompuhar, brimming with abundance, “with the pride of ships arriving by sea, and heaps of black stones arriving by land…”!!!”.