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Kerala's Lost City: Unearthing the Ancient Secrets of Muziris
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Firstpost•27-09-2026, 09:26
Kerala's Lost City: Unearthing the Ancient Secrets of Muziris
- •Archaeological excavations in Pattanam, Kerala, have uncovered 2,000-2,500-year-old artifacts, including Roman wine jars and Spanish olive oil containers, suggesting a flourishing ancient city.
- •Many historians believe Pattanam is the site of Muziris, a major port city on the ancient spice route that mysteriously disappeared in a 14th-century flood.
- •The Kerala government's Muziris Heritage Project aims to preserve and promote the region's history, attracting global travelers seeking to explore the "Lost City."
- •Artifacts like a 2,000-year-old toilet system, Roman amphora, and a six-meter-long canoe point to a sophisticated port city that facilitated cultural exchange.
- •The project, expanding across three districts, seeks UNESCO World Heritage status and highlights Muziris as a melting pot of cultures, with ancient churches, mosques, and synagogues.
Key Questions Answered
Pattanam is the site of archaeological excavations that revealed artifacts dating back 2,000 to 2,500 years, pointing to the existence of Muziris, a flourishing ancient port city on the spice route that mysteriously disappeared in a 14th-century flood.
The Kerala government plans to expand the project from its current two districts of Ernakulam and Thrissur to include Alappuzha, widening the regional scope across three districts within one year.
Excavations have uncovered hundreds of ancient items, including a 2,000-year-old toilet system, Roman amphorae, Stone Age settlement remains, a wharf structure, a six-metre-long canoe, and historical structures like an old Jewish synagogue, India's first church, and an early mosque.
