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Submerged Torpedo Jar Fragment off Poompuhar Coast
The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) recently discovers a broken fragment of an ancient torpedo jar off the Poompuhar coast, along with submerged ring wells and over 250 ceramic artifacts. The underwater exploration uses marine geophysical tools to map submerged structures amid low underwater visibility.
TNSDA Findings:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Torpedo jar description | A torpedo jar comprises a tubular, thick-walled ceramic vessel with a narrow neck and cylindrical body, engineered to transport liquid commodities on long sea voyages without spillage. |
| Torpedo jar provenance | The torpedo jar originates from West Asia, likely Parthian/Sasanian or early Islamic Persian Gulf trade routes. |
| Evidence value | The torpedo jar serves as direct material evidence of trans-oceanic Indian Ocean maritime trade during the Early Historic period. |
| Parallel sites in Tamil Nadu | Torpedo jar fragments are excavated at terrestrial Sangam-era sites in Tamil Nadu, including Alagankulam, Korkai, and Porpanaikottai. |
| Submerged ring wells | Archaeologists uncover 4 intact terracotta ring wells with diameters ranging between 60 cm and 65 cm on the ocean floor. |
| Ring wells inference | The presence of freshwater ring wells underwater confirms that a palaeochannel once flows through the location, supporting human settlements before marine transgression or tsunamis submerge the coastline. |
| Marine survey tools | The exploration utilises Side-Scan Sonar, Sub-Bottom Profilers, Multibeam Scanners, and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). |
| Location identification | Poompuhar is identified as Kaveripoompattinam. |
| Historical status of Poompuhar | Poompuhar serves as the primary port city and second capital of the Early Cholas during the Sangam era. |
| Literary references | Poompuhar is extensively documented in Pattinappaalai, Silappadikaram, and Manimekalai. |
| Pattinappaalai reference | Pattinappaalai describes busy docks, customs houses, and international merchants residing in the city. |
| Silappadikaram and Manimekalai references | Silappadikaram and Manimekalai chronicle urban planning, bustling markets, Yavanar quarters for Greco-Roman traders, and the legendary submergence of the city due to catastrophic marine inundation, including tsunami or sea-level rise. |
| Foreign accounts | Poompuhar is mentioned as Kaberis by Ptolemy and referenced in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. |