📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / PJeganathan
Science
Poompuhar Dive Uncovers Tamil‑West Asian Connections
✍️ Vajiram & Ravi
🗓 28 Sep 2026, 11:33 AM
👁 7
Archaeologists conducting underwater excavations off the coast of Poompuhar have uncovered artifacts that suggest historic trade links between Tamil Nadu and West Asian civilizations.
In a series of dives carried out by the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, workers recovered pottery shards, metal objects, and a fragment of a seal that stylistically matches artifacts from the ancient Mesopotamian region. The finds were located at a depth of 12 meters in the shallow waters near Poompuhar, a historic port that flourished during the Chola dynasty.
Experts say the material culture points to maritime trade routes that extended beyond the Indian Ocean, linking the Tamil coast with West Asian merchants as early as the first millennium CE. The discovery adds new evidence to the growing body of research on the global reach of South Indian seafaring.
The dig is part of a larger project aimed at mapping submerged heritage sites along the Coromandel Coast. Officials plan to preserve the artifacts in a coastal museum and will publish detailed reports in upcoming academic journals.
"These artifacts confirm that Poompuhar was a significant node in ancient maritime networks," said Dr. R. Natarajan, head of the excavation team. "They also highlight the cultural exchanges that shaped the region’s history.",
Experts say the material culture points to maritime trade routes that extended beyond the Indian Ocean, linking the Tamil coast with West Asian merchants as early as the first millennium CE. The discovery adds new evidence to the growing body of research on the global reach of South Indian seafaring.
The dig is part of a larger project aimed at mapping submerged heritage sites along the Coromandel Coast. Officials plan to preserve the artifacts in a coastal museum and will publish detailed reports in upcoming academic journals.
"These artifacts confirm that Poompuhar was a significant node in ancient maritime networks," said Dr. R. Natarajan, head of the excavation team. "They also highlight the cultural exchanges that shaped the region’s history.",