Thoothukudi: The scattered remains across a vast stretch of land near Vellappatti near Pattinamurudhur in Thoothukudi district are offering archaeologists a glimpse into a past when the region may have been part of a thriving maritime trade network.
Pottery fragments, burial urns, beads, conch bangles and evidence of conch-cutting activity are among the archaeological remains found during a recent field survey in an area known as ‘Odai’, between Tharuvaikulam and Vellappatti.
Archaeologist A Michael Dinesh Joel, who conducted the survey with K Karuppasamy, believes the findings warrant a detailed excavation to understand the history of the region.
The survey was undertaken while looking for the cultural continuity of Pattanamarudur, where the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department is currently conducting excavations. Pattanamarudur, around 6 km from the ‘Odai’ site, was an important centre for conch-cutting and making ornaments during the medieval period.
But the evidence from the ‘Odai’ area appears to tell a longer story.
The northern part of the site has yielded evidence from the medieval period, while Sangam-era remains have been found in the southern portion.
Spread across more than 300 acres, the site has yielded black-and-red ware pottery, pottery with graffiti marks, burial urns, carnelian beads, decorated conch bangles and pieces left over from conch-cutting.
Iron slag and foreign pottery have also been found, along with medieval-period red ware, glass beads, conch and glass bangles, copper coins, terracotta figurines and pipes.
Among the more striking finds are Chinese celadon and Barcelona pottery sherds, which Joel says point to international maritime trade.
“Over the past two years, I have been conducting field surveys and documenting various archaeological sites in Thoothukudi district. While looking for the cultural continuity of the Pattanamarudur excavation, we surveyed the ‘Odai’ area,” Joel said.
“We found rare evidence dating from the Sangam period to the medieval period, along with indications of international maritime trade.”
The presence of conch-cutting waste and decorated conch bangles has also drawn attention. According to Joel, the evidence suggests that a workshop producing ornaments from conch may have operated here during the Sangam period, much like the activity associated with Korkai.
Korkai, an ancient port associated with the Pandya region, is well known for its links to maritime trade and conch-related industries. The findings at Vellappatti have led Joel to suggest that the area could have played a comparable role as a trading centre during the Sangam period.
The burial urns, graffiti-marked pottery and industrial remains form part of the evidence behind this possibility.
Joel has called for excavation of the Vellappatti area, saying a systematic archaeological study could help establish a clearer picture of its Sangam-era culture and maritime connections.
For now, the artefacts scattered across the site offer clues rather than definitive answers. A detailed excavation, Joel believes, could reveal whether Vellappatti was indeed part of the ancient network of settlements and trading centres that connected the southern Tamil region to the wider maritime world.