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2000-Year-Old City Poompuhar Discovered Underwater: What Did New Finds Reveal?
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News18•23-09-2026, 15:26
2000-Year-Old City Poompuhar Discovered Underwater: What Did New Finds Reveal?
- •A 2000-year-old city, believed to be Poompuhar, has been discovered underwater in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Tamil Nadu.
- •Archaeologists found over 200 potsherds, torpedo jars, glazed pottery, and a 40-meter-long oval structure during a three-week expedition.
- •Torpedo jars suggest trade links with the Persian Gulf, possibly for wine and other goods, indicating ancient international trade networks.
- •The city, a major port of the Chola Empire, may have sunk due to a marine disaster or tsunami, with parts submerged in the third century.
- •Poompuhar, also known as Kaveripoompattinam, was a bustling metropolis and economic backbone of the Chola Empire, mentioned in ancient Tamil texts.
Key Questions Answered
During the three-week underwater expedition off the coast of Tamil Nadu, archaeologists discovered over 200 potsherds, glazed pottery, significant structures, and torpedo jars for the first time.
Archaeologists believe that the ancient city of Poompuhar may have sunk into the sea due to marine disasters or tsunamis that occurred over the course of 2,000 years.
Poompuhar served as a major port and the economic backbone of the Chola Empire, facilitating the export of grains and spices from the Kaveri Valley while importing foreign goods.
