The city was vividly described in the Cankam poem called Pattinappalai and fifth century poetic narrative called Cilapathikaram. The latter shares more sophisticated knowledge about the port. The port was contemporary to Korkai, Alagankulam, Arikamedu, Mantai and Muziris.
(Illustration 2 : Port cities/town in ancient Tamilakam and Sri Lanka)
As above image illustrates, there are some uncertainties in locating some ports, though location of many are secured fairly. Geographically speaking the port is located in the eastern part of the Tamilakam and therefore it is expected to had trade contacts with East Asia. The port is few miles away from Arikamedu - a famous port, famous for manufacturing and industrial activities - by land and nautical distance. The city of Uraiyur used to be capital of the Cholas before Kaveripattinam. It, however, not necessarily imply that the port did not existed at all during that period. The port most likely assumed more importance around the turn of common era and brisk economic activities with the Southeast Asia might have stimulated the Cholas to shift the capital to east coastal city to anchor their influence over the trade. Due to its nodal position in the trade within the subcontinent, it is expected to have contacts with other ports and cities within the subcontinent.
The City of Kaveripattinam in literature :
Along with Madurai, Kaveripattinam was most vividly described in the literature. Even cities like Muziris, Arikamedu and Karur was not mentioned so briefly in the literature.
The city of Kaveripattinam is divided into two districts namely Pattinapakkam in the west and Maruvurpakkam in the east. The latter was closer to coast. The district of Maruvurpakkam is where port infrastructure of the city, most likely, situated. The district was occupied by fishermen and the traders who sell variety of commodities in the city. According to Cilapathikaram, Yavanars (non-Indic people) were stationed in the Maruvurpakkam. According to Pattinappalai, there were mansions and warehouses in the city, and warehouses were under surveillance of custom officials and toll/tax collectors (Pat. : 116-25). The custom officials were given job of stamping the Chola tiger insignia in the goods imported to mark the authority of the state (Pat. : 126-36).
The traders/merchants in the city was diverse. They did trade from gems/stones, like diamonds,quartz,beryl,gold etc. , to salt. As their commodities , their ethnic was also diverse. The Pattinappalai (213-18) mentions people of different languages migrated into city and lived happily with local Tamils. This illustrates the urban nature of the site and certainly not beyond the realm of the historicity. One can find many Prakrit names in inscribed Tamil Brahmi names, punch marked coins and potteries, which are not part of Tamilakam , in the modern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The other district Pattinapakkam was place for administration and inhabitant of people. The people were doctors, rich perunkudi merchants , bards, writers, singers (Ta. Panans), dancers(Ta. Viralis) ,weavers , courtesans , prostitutes etc.
The Pattinappalai (160-71) says there were philosophers residing in Puhar and they do scholarly debate.The gardens were separating them. Under those gardens there were markets.
The Cilapathikaram (I V:157-60) states that Puhar was administered by five groups of state officials and eight assemblies.
The Pattinappalai (160-71) says there were philosophers residing in Puhar and they do scholarly debate.The gardens were separating them. Under those gardens there were markets.
The Cilapathikaram (I V:157-60) states that Puhar was administered by five groups of state officials and eight assemblies.
| ஐம் பெருங்குழுவும், எண் பேர் ஆயமும்,அரச குமரரும், பரத குமரரும்; கவர் பரிப் புரவியர், களிற்றின் தொகுதியர், கவர் பரித் தேரினர், இயைந்து ஒருங்கு ஈண்டி; அரைசு மேம்படீஇய, அகநிலை மருங்கில், (Cilampu I V:157-61) |
Sixth century poetic narrative of Manimekalai (I:17) also states the same.
பரந்துஒருங்கு ஈண்டிய பாடை மாக்களும்
ஐம்பெருங் குழுவும், எண்பேர் ஆயமும் வந்துஒருங்கு குழீஇ வான்பதி தன்னுள்
Cankam poem MaturaiKanci (507-10) , however, speaks about four royal assemblies in Madurai in Pandyan court. The Puram (71), composed by Ollaiyūr Thantha PoothaPāndiyan, speaks about the five royal members in the Pandyan court. They were Māvan , Ānthai , Anthuvan Cāttan , Ātan Alici and Iyakkan. Each had a portfolio in the court.
[I am not sure if the poem imply anything like that. I wrote based on Tamil articles I read. Though the poem mentions those names, I am not sure if they were five royal members.
read here ]
The words like aṟam and avai used in the poem (Puram 71:7) suggests the courts were used to provide justice [ Ta. aṟam (TL: 174) ]. The word avai [ lit. court or assemblage of men (TL:159 ) ] also attested in MaduraiKanci (508 & 492). The Maduraikanci (489-92) speaks about courts that do deliver justice [ சிறந்த கொள்கை அறம் கூறு அவையமும் (Maduraikanci:492) ]
The MaduraiKanci (375-94) describes four division of army. The poem(393) uses the word kaḷamar , though generally mean a veḷḷāḷar , to denote an army personnel. (Ta. kaḷam = field; so based on the context the meaning can change). The poem speaks about elephants,horses,chariots (கவின் பெறு தேரும்) and foot-soldier (களமர் ) as four divisions. Most interestingly, the word Kataṟpadai - that is, navy - is mentioned in Puram (6:12). The presence of four royal assemblages, five royal state officials , eight royal assemblages , four division of army and the word tāṉai (lit. army) [ "அடங்காத் தானை வேந்தர் " in Puram (71:2) ] suggest presence of well organised army, law and order, and state officials. We already saw about existence of well organised merchants in form of guilds and toll/tax collecting custom officials in Puhar and Kanchipuram.
Therefore, based on Pattinappalai (116-25 & 126-35) ,Cilapatikaram (I V:157-61) and Manimekalai (I:17), we can envision a city-state kind of scenario in Kaveripattinam with good level of administration.
The Manimekalai narrates that Kaveripattinam was swallowed by sea around 6th century CE. The epic also states that Buddhist institutions in Kaveripattinam later moved to Kanchipuram. True to Manimekalai's verse, archaeologists established its Buddhist past. Kaveripattinam is the earliest known Buddhist site till date in Tamil Nadu. According to Monius(2001:), Manimekalai envisions a Buddhist world that centers around Puhar, Kanchipuram and Cavakam (modern Java). [refer: Legend of Manimekalai Beyond The Tamil Realm ]
Archaeological exploration in the Kaveripoompattinam :
The land excavations in Kilaiyur had revealed two brick structures which are identified as wharves (Sundaresh et. al. 2004:821 & Sundaresh and Gaur 2011:223)
The most significant discovery was an I-shaped brick structure, exposed in the ancient chan-nel of Kaveri at Kilaiyur, which is now completely silted up (IAR 1962-63; Rao, 1965; Raman,1968). This brick structure with a drain for the flow of water and a platform supported by wooden posts for handling cargo, served as a wharf built in the channel of the river Kaveri (IAR 1962-63 p-13) The Radio Carbon 14 date is 316±103 BC of the wharf. (Sundaresh et.al. 2004:821)The wharves are the signature of a port site. In fact, archaeologist use presence of wharves to conclude the nature of site. Presence of wharves is certainly interesting one.The wharves are the infractures that are used to dock/park the vessels and used to handle the cargo. Such wharves also came to light in the Pattanam excavations
(Illustration 3: Modern day Miami wharf. source: Google Images.)
Finding wharf itself a significant discovery since the infrastructure is rarely discovered in early historic India. This illustrates the importance of the port of Kaveripattinam. Apart from the wharves, ring wells, early Chola coins, semi-stoned beads and potteries such as amphorae were recovered at Kilaiyur. Land excavations in Vanagiri site has exposed a reservoir.
A semicircular brick structure exposed in the excavation at Vanagiri, which served as reservoir (IAR, 1963 pl.XIV). Excavations at Sampapathi Amman temple revealed terracotta ring wells, which indicates that ancient Poompuhar was extended till Puduppuram on the north and up to Tarangambadi /Tranquebar (Wheeler 1976) on the south (Sundaresh et al. 2004:821).
On excavation , it revealed itself as a partially destroyed (anciently by water action as well as by subsequent brick-robbing) well built inlet channel and sluice for filling a reservoir to its south. It was found exposed to about 13 m stretch in preservation though fragmentarily, the central stretch having been fully robbed out. At its mouth it was nearly eight metres wide and curved out smoothly on the either side-wall of the channel, with its floor carefully laid in four courses of bricks in depth which, towards the terminal point of its inlet, was of a stepped nature comprising four steps and extending to the extreme width of its mouth gradually in these steps, and was intended to break the possible water erosion when it flows into the reservoir in the monsoon season. Such stepped mouths had been noticed anciently, both at Nagarjunakonda in the area adjacent to the Pushpabhadrasvami temple on the river ghat- this example been almost closely comparable in its lay out to the Vanagiri structure - and also at Sringaverapura, in the great tanks of elaborate features built a little away from the northern bank of river Ganga on which the main mound stands. It is also seen, even earlier still, at Lothal, in the inlet channel of the Dockyard at its western end, and was intended for a purpose of avoiding water erosion. All these cases were of brick built nature. (Soundara Rajan 1994:35-6)
According to Soundara Rajan(1994) , this reservoir confirms the irrigation works of great Karikalan (2nd century) mentioned in Tamil text called Pattinappalai. The reservoir is beautifully constructed with four steps. Such reservoir (of length 45m) also found in Arikamedu. These evidence suggests existence of irrigational works in Tamilakam around early centuries. The presence of reservoir also does suggests presence of a sizeable population — obviously, in the context of 2000 years ago.
Coastal investigations in Poompuhar, Vanagiri and Chinavanagiri:
In Poompuhar, a brick structure of eleven course were found (ills 4). The structure is a brick wall (Tripati et al., 1996:87 ) and the structure is 1.2 m width 1.2m height and 4m length. It is found near the Kannagi statue. The clay was used as binding material. Four aligned brick structures were also found in Poompuhar. Their length was 24m and width was 3.4m and it suggests extensive usage of bricks. Terracotta ring wells also recovered at Poompuhar (Sundaresh et.al. 2004:823).
A brick structure of eleven courses having 1.2 m width, 1.2 m high and 4 m length was exposed at about 200 m south of Kannagi statue at Poompuhar
Four brick structure were noticed about 60 m from the high water line at 1 m water depth opposite to present Kaveri temple. These structures indicated that they were disturbed walls having 25 m in length, 3.4 m width aligned in a line. The sizes of the bricks are 22x13x6 cm,lime mortar served as binding material.(Sundaresh et.al. 2004:823)
(Illustration 4: Brick wall exposed near Kannagi statue. Source : Sundresh and AS Gaur)
Vanagiri is another site located 1 km south of modern Poompuhar and site also subjected to archaeological explorations. In Vanagiri, three terracotta rings wells were found,and a neatly paved brick floor is also found. this suggests existence of houses in Poompuhar around early historic period. The houses with neat drainage systems is revealed in Keeladi excavations near Madurai.
Explorations in Chinnavanagiri has revealed gemstone beads , semi-precious stones such as carnate, agate and crystal, varieties of glass and terracotta wares, ring wells surrounded by burnt bricks, megalithic black and red ware, early Chola coins and Tamil-Brahmi script.
Offshore explorations :
The offshore explorations were undertaken between Tranquebar and Nayakankuppam covering distance of 25 km. Off Poompuhar between the water depths of 5.5 to 10.5m presence of three major sites of interest namely,southern bank of river Cauvery, off Pudukuppam and off Nayakankuppam were observed.
A few dressed stone blocks measuring 90 X 40 X 15 cm, a semi circular stone with a L-shape cut on its surface and many other irregular blocks of sandstone were noticed in 5 to 8 m water depth off Cauvery mouth.The area is covered with fine black sand. The other findings during airlifting operations are brickbats and early historic pottery of Black and Red ware, Red ware, Buff ware and Grey ware. The stratigraphy of this area is fine blacksand, sticky black clay, compact yellow clay and white coarse sand with stone blocks and few potsherds (Sundaresh and Gaur 2011:227-8)
They found well dressed stone blocks under the sea. The stones was used to construct the buildings. The bricks, however, could not have survived due to high-energy zone and also the area of Nagapattinam district subjected to many major cyclones.
Only stone structures likely could provide clue about plan (Sundaresh and Gaur 2011:228)
Presence of Grey ware, Black and Red wares, and Red wares suggests early historic date and habitation of people. The presence of brickbats also suggests existence of brick structures under the sea but did not survived as a structure, unfortunately.
The airlifting operations at north of Poompuhar revealed a few dressed stone blocks in three general dimensions (30x20x5 cm, 65x40x10 cm and 60x35x10 cm) including the potsherds of Grey ware, huge storage jars at 1m below the sea bed. The echograms of the Sub-bottom profiler revealed a submerged paleochannel of river Kaveri on the north of Poompuhar at 10 to 15 m water depth, with a width of 300 m to 500 m buried in 20 m below the sea bottom. (Sundaresh and Gaur 2011:228)
The presence of the storage vessel under the sea bed suggests it was an habitation site during Cankam era.
Offshore at Poompuhar, archaeologists found three structures using geophysical surveys and later confirmed by divers. The first structure was located at the depth of 23m under the ocean and 5 km offshore.North-south length of the strustructure was 40m , east-west length is 20m and height is 3m.
Three objects were identified by geophysical surveys at 22-24 m water depth off Poompuhar(Vora 1987, Rao 1992, Rao 1991) were confirmed by diving. They are lying in north south direction. The first structure was located at a water depth of 23 m about 5 km off shore. It is oval in shape. The total periphery of the object is 140 m. North-south length of object is 40 mand east-west length is 20 m. The object is hollow in the centre. The height of object on the outer edge is 3 m while on the inner side maximum height is 1 m. The height of eastern armis greater than that of the western arm. The width of arm varies from 3 to 6 m. The centre of the object is covered with sediments and rock patches. On the northern side of the object an open space with rubble was found. Growth of thick marine organisms like oyster shells and gorgonian were observed on the structure. About 40 m. north of the above object, two smaller objects of the same material were noticed. These two objects are lying in east-west direction with a distance of 10 m. The circumference of each object is not more than 15 m and their height is about 2 m. They have a maximum height in the centre and edges are sloping. There are a number of wide cracks on the objects. A few blocks are 2 m in length 1.5 m in breadth and 1 m in height. A few smaller blocks measure 100 X 60 X 20 cm (Sundaresh and Gaur 2011:228)
The archaeological evidence recovered in the inter-tidal region as well as offshore belongs to Sangam period (ibid:229)
Both underwater, land and inter-tidal exploration revealed a settlement in modern Poompuhar and its surroundings suggest that it was a big settlement. The presence of numerous ring wells, wharves , house , reservoir, other brick and stone structures, and Buddhist Viharas suggests a flourishing settlement from 300 BC to 550 CE. The port had a flourishing contact with wider world.
Poompuhar and Mahabalipuram flourished as port towns and led maritime activities with Rome, China, Sri Lanka and South East Asia. The potsherds of Rouletted ware, the Chola coins, Brahmi inscribed artefacts were also found in southeast Asian countries and were probably carried though Poompuhar, from which similar coins were reported. Glass beads were also exported to Southeast Asia during early historical period from Poompuhar through the Kaveripattinam ports, as the Manigramam was located in the vicinity. The maritime archaeology evidence is further confirmed by the findings at Kalakattu. The gopurams of temples of Kampong Prea of eighth century CE and Prasat Bayang of Cambodia are said to closely resemble the Mamallapuram temples. The early sculptures of Cambodia of the ninth century also resemble Pallava sculptures at Mamallapuram (Nagaswamy 2007). Based on all this evidence, it is clear that cultural expansion through maritime trade started during the early historical period, if not earlier.(Sundaresh and Guar 2011:237)
Underwater excavations at Mahabalipuram has revealed it is a pre-Pallavan port and assumed great importance during Pallavan (4th-9th centuries) , late Cholan (9th-13th centuries) and late Pandyan (13th-14th centuries) periods. In Mahabalipuram, a lighthouse is identified dated to medieval period. However, lighthouses were mentioned in Cankam poems. The Cankam poem Perumnatruppadi(346-51) speaks about port called Nirpeyarvu at the vicinity of Kanchipuram with lighthouse facilities.
வானம் ஊன்றிய மதலை போல ஏணி சாத்திய ஏற்று அருஞ் சென்னி விண்பொர நிவந்த வேயா மாடத்து இரவில் மாட்டிய இலங்கு சுடர் ஞெகிழி உரவு நீர் அழுவத்து ஓடு கலம் கரையும் துறை பிறக்கு ஒழியப் போகி
After leaving the port behind, where there is a
tall lighthouse with an unwoven roof that appearslike a prop that supports the sky, a building appearing to be difficult to scale with ladders,with a bright flame that is lit at night that invites plying ships to the shore
Cilapathikaram(I VI:141) speaks about existence of lighthouse in Puhar.
இடை இடை, மீன் விலை பகர்வோர் விளக்கமும்;
இலங்கு நீர் வரைப்பின் கலங்கரை-விளக்கமும்;
In eastern coastal India, lighthouses were found in two sites namely Mahabalipuram and Chilika Lake (Tripati 2009). Recently ,in Bet Dwarka also, a lighthouse is found on the western coastal India. The lighthouse mentioned in Cankam poem is like the lighthouse in the Alexandria, Egypt. It describes the lighthouse as a tall one - reaching the sky - and ladders could not afford to reach it.
tall lighthouse with an unwoven roof that appearslike a prop that supports the sky, a building appearing to be difficult to scale with ladders,with a bright flame that is lit at night that invites plying ships to the shore
Cilapathikaram(I VI:141) speaks about existence of lighthouse in Puhar.
இடை இடை, மீன் விலை பகர்வோர் விளக்கமும்;
இலங்கு நீர் வரைப்பின் கலங்கரை-விளக்கமும்;
In eastern coastal India, lighthouses were found in two sites namely Mahabalipuram and Chilika Lake (Tripati 2009). Recently ,in Bet Dwarka also, a lighthouse is found on the western coastal India. The lighthouse mentioned in Cankam poem is like the lighthouse in the Alexandria, Egypt. It describes the lighthouse as a tall one - reaching the sky - and ladders could not afford to reach it.
(Illustration 5: Lighthouses in India. source: Tripati 2009)
Therefore, based on the available archaeological evidences and literacy descriptions, one imagine Kaveripattinam as a coastal city with Wharves/Jetties, houses, reservoirs, lighthouses and ship traffic. Archaeological investigations have established that it could be a big city. 
(Illustration 7: an unknown port with wharves, jetties, lighthouses, houses and ship traffic)
Reference:
Tripati, Sila 2009 : Coastal structural remains on the east coast of India: Evidence of maritime activities and their significance
Tripati, Sila, Sundaresh, A S Gaur and P Gudigar 1996 : Marine archaeological explorations in the Kaveripoompattinam regions: Fresh light on the structural remains.
Sundaresh, Mani Murali, A S Gaur and Jaya Kumar Salem 2014: Shoreline changes along Tamil Nadu coast: A study based on archaeological and coastal dynamics perspective
Sundaresh , S. Jayakumar, A.S. Gaur,P. Chandramohan and B.K. Jena , 2004 :SUBMERGENCE OF POOMPUHAR STUDY BASED ON UNDERWATER EXPLORATIONS AND
Sundaresh and Gaur A, Marine Archaeological Investigations along the Tamil Nadu Coast and their Implications for Understanding Cultural Expansion to Southeast Asian Countries.Early Interactions Between South and Southeast Asia: Reflections on Cross-cultural Exchange, 2011.
K.V. Soundara Rajan 1994 : KAVERIPATTINAM EXCAVATIONS 1963-73 (A PORT CITY ON THE TAMIL NADU COAST)
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