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Cholas' 2000-Year-Old Foreign Market Found Submerged: Torpedo Jar Reveals Trade Secrets.
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News18•28-09-2026, 13:44
Cholas' 2000-Year-Old Foreign Market Found Submerged: Torpedo Jar Reveals Trade Secrets.
- •A fragment of a West Asian torpedo jar, dating back 2000 years, was discovered at the ancient port of Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu, revealing the Cholas' foreign trade.
- •The excavation also unearthed four ancient ring wells and over 250 ceramic fragments, indicating an ancient settlement and bustling trade activities.
- •Poompuhar, known as Kaveripoompattinam in ancient times, was strategically located at the confluence of the Kaveri River and the Bay of Bengal, making it a major sea trade hub.
- •The torpedo jar was a long, cylindrical clay vessel used to store liquid goods like wine and oil during sea voyages, highlighting ancient maritime logistics.
- •This discovery suggests the Cholas' trade network extended far beyond India, connecting them to West Asia, Arabia, Rome, and Southeast Asia, showcasing a rich economic history beyond just temples and wars.
Key Questions Answered
Recent underwater excavations at Poompuhar yielded a piece of pottery believed to be a West Asian torpedo jar, four ancient terracotta ring wells, and over 250 ceramic fragments.
Poompuhar was strategically located near the Kaveri River and the Bay of Bengal, allowing goods to arrive via the river and be transported globally by ships. It served as the focal point of Chola maritime power, connecting India to regions like West Asia, Rome, and Southeast Asia.
Historians and scientists attribute the city's submersion to factors such as coastal erosion, changes in sea levels, major floods, and potential tsunami-like events around the third century, contrasting with literary legends of a divine sea engulfment.
