Land ahoy!
- POSTED ON: 3 Apr, 2023
- TOTAL VIEWS: 157 Views
- POSTED BY: Rohini Ramakrishnan | Article by R. Krithika
- ARTICLE POINTS: 150 Points
India has a long tradition of maritime trade, which goes back all the way to the Indus Valley Civilisation. Long before the British East India Company came to India, the country had trade relations with West Asia, Egypt, Rome, Greece, Southeast Asia and China. Thus it is not surprising that ancient India had many port cities. Here we look at four important ones.
Tamralipti (West Bengal)
Also known as Tamralipta, this ancient port city was located near the Rupnarayan river on the Bay of Bengal. Today, historians identify the town of Tamluk in Purba Medinipur as the site of Tamralipti. The name comes from the Sanskrit, Tamra, meaning copper, which was mined at Ghatsila. During the time of the Guptas, trade with Ceylon, Java and China was conducted from here. Tamralipti was connected to other major cities of the time via a road network.
Lothal (Gujarat)
Possibly the oldest port city in India, this Indus Valley Civilisation site is located in Gujarat’s Bhal region and had trade connections with West Asia and Africa. Discovered in 1954, excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) revealed a dock. Archaeologists believe that the port’s brick structures were constructed after studying the tidal movements, which allowed ships to use the high tides in the Gulf of Khambat. A lock-gate system, brick passages and ramps leading to the dock are believed to have been used to load and unload cargo without difficulties.
Muziris (Kerala)
Mentioned in ancient texts such as Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, the Puranuru, and Pliny’s Natural History, this port city on the east coast had connections with the Persians, the Phoenicians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Egyptians and the Romans. The main export from Muziris was spices, especially black pepper. Imports landed here from over 30 countries. An important archaeological discovery was a wharf complex with bollards to harbour boats and a decayed canoe. The current location of Muziris is a matter of debate among historians.
Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu)
Also known as Puhar and Kaveripoompattinam, the city is located at the mouth of the Cauvery in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district. The town is referred to in ancient Tamil texts such as the Pattinapalam and Purananuru and the epic poem Manimekalai. While spices were exported from here, the port saw the import of horses from Arabia and other goods from Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The city is said to have been submerged in the sea and this incident is referred to in Manimekalai. Researchers have recently claimed to have found evidence of a harbour, lighthouse, and dockyards buried underwater.