2,000-Yr-Old Docu Describes Ports; Sangam Texts Corroborate It
When the University of Southampton conducted excavations at the site of Quseir alQadim in Egypt, believed to be the port of Myos Hormos mentioned in ancient texts, a 1st century BC potsherd was found with Tamil Brahmi letters. The inscription read: “Paanai oRi“, pot (suspended) in a rope net. Tamil and peninsular maritime history goes back to several thousand years and texts offer various cross-references to the network of ancient ports in India including in Tamil country .
The earliest references to these ports is in the form of a Greek Periplus (a manuscript that lists ports and coastal landmarks) dating to 1st century AD.Written in ordinary language, the manuscript contains 66 paragraphs describing ports, starting with the Egyptian port of Mussel. Paragraph 38 onwards, it describes the Indian coast.
Dr Steven E Sidebotham of Delaware University and Dr Willeke Wendrich, an archaeologist of UCLA, confirm that maritime trade in antiquity “appeared quite productive and lasted much longer than what earlier historians thought“. According to them it was not only due to Roman enterprise but also to Indian shipbuilding and seamanship. In addition there were good ports working efficiently .
The 54th para of the Periplus gives a detailed description of Muziris, that Pliny the Elder had described, as abounding in ships from Arabia and Greeks. It talks about Tyndis and Nelcynda controlled by Pandyans. Muziris was once thought to be Cranganore; however recent findings of archaeologists of Kerala have established it as today's Pattinam. Tyndis is Thondi of the west coast, found in Sangam literature. Today it is known as Ponnani. It is sung in Aingkurunuru by Sangam poet Poygaiyar.
The 55th para says there is another place at the mouth of this river, “the village of Bacare, (Vakkarai) where ships drop down on the outward voyage from Nelcynda, and anchor in the roadstead to take on their cargoes; The kings of both these market-towns live in the interior.“ Kerala archaeologists say Nelcynda was likely located in what is today Alumthuruthu-Kadapra near Chengannur. The 58th para of the Periplus says that “beyond Bacare . . .there is another place called Comari, at which are the Cape of Comari and a harbour.“
This means there must have been a port at Kanyakumari.
Next paragraph says “from comari toward the south this region extends to Colchi, (Korkai) where the pearl-fisheries are; and it belongs to the Pandyan Kingdom. Beyond Colchi there follows another district called the Coast Country, which lies on a bay, and has a region inland called Argaru. At this place, and nowhere else, are bought the pearls gathered on the coast thereabouts; and from there are exported muslin, those called Argaritic.“ Argaru has been now identified as Azhagankulam.
Later on, the manuscript discusses the ports of Camara, Poduca and Sopatma of Damirica (Tamilakam). It talks about large vessels made of single logs called Sangara and the very large ones called Colandia that sail up to the Ganges and Chryse in ancient Greece.
Poduca has been identified as Arikamedu on the east coast of India. One of the most important items of import was wine. Sangam literature calls this commodity “Theral“. These jars were used as containers for importing such wine; while the contents have long gone, the containers remain to tell the story .Purananuru says Yavanas (shorthand for westerners) brought the wine in the jars and the same was served by beautiful maidens to the king. Camara is Puhar of ancient times and Sangam literature shows the glory of this place. Purananuru says that ships could enter this port without lowering their sails and with full load.
Pattinappalai of Sangam literature is all about Puhar; pattinam means port town. In the lines 185-193, it says horses were imported through sea and many commodities like pepper and other items were stored for transit. Lines 126136 talk about non-stop work in the port.Even today , in any port, one of the efficiency indicators is continuous work.The greatness of this port is found in the epic Silappathikaraam which says that the Yavanas who were engaged in work were housed in the harbour area and were safe. There was a place allotted for these foreigners in the port town.Horses were imported as they were not available in India and Azhagankulam was the main port for importing them.Mathuraikanchi, another Sangam poem, describes the noise in the port from the strong waves and cargo handling.
(Author is a former marine chief engineer , historian and heritage enthusiast) Email your feedback to
