Beneath the waters off Tamil Nadu, archaeologists are finding clues to a port city that once connected the Tamil coast with distant parts of the ancient world. New underwater discoveries at Poompuhar include pottery fragments, a West Asian-style torpedo jar and submerged structures linked to the region's maritime past. For centuries, Poompuhar has existed somewhere between history, literature and legend. The ancient port, also known as Kaveripoompattinam, was once an important settlement on the Tamil Nadu coast. Tamil literary works describe it as a busy maritime centre where merchants, travellers and goods arrived from different parts of the world. Now, archaeologists searching beneath the Bay of Bengal are finding physical evidence that adds another layer to that story. During the latest phase of underwater exploration, researchers recovered more than 200 pottery fragments and identified submerged structural remains around two kilometres from the present coastline. Among the most notable discoveries was a fragment of a torpedo jar, a long, narrow transport vessel associated with ancient maritime trade and the movement of commodities such as wine and oil..
What Was Found Under the Sea?
The latest exploration was carried out off the coast of Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district. Archaeologists recovered pottery fragments believed to include material originating from West Asia. Glazed ceramics and other pottery pieces were also found, while researchers are studying the material to determine its precise origin and date. The torpedo jar fragment has attracted particular attention. These vessels are generally associated with long-distance maritime trade networks and were designed to transport liquids. Similar vessels have been found at other ancient port sites, providing researchers with a way to trace commercial connections across the Indian Ocean. Researchers have also identified four ancient ring wells in the underwater area. Such structures could provide clues about the landscape that existed before parts of the region were submerged. However, archaeologists are still studying the finds. The torpedo jar fragments have not yet been assigned a firm archaeological date, so it would be premature to describe the individual object itself as definitively 2,000 years old. What the discovery does strengthen is the evidence for ancient maritime connections involving Poompuhar..
Poompuhar: The Port City That Went Underwater
Poompuhar was not simply a small coastal settlement. Known historically as Kaveripoompattinam or Kaveripattinam, it was an important port associated with the early Chola period. Ancient Tamil literature portrays it as a busy commercial city connected to traders from different regions. Parts of the ancient settlement are now believed to lie beneath the sea. The Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department has been investigating the submerged landscape for decades. Underwater exploration began as early as 1981, when archaeologists working with the National Institute of Oceanography identified structures and other features beneath the water. The latest exploration is therefore not an isolated discovery. It is part of a much larger effort to understand how much of ancient Poompuhar survives underwater and what caused the coastline to change..
Evidence of Trade With West Asia
One of the biggest questions raised by the latest discoveries is where the pottery came from. The torpedo jar fragments are particularly significant because vessels of this type are associated with trade networks extending across the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Researchers say the discovery fits with the broader archaeological picture of Poompuhar as a port connected to overseas commerce. Glazed pottery found during the exploration may also point towards contacts with regions including ancient Iran, although detailed study is still required. This matters because ancient trade was far more interconnected than the modern imagination sometimes suggests. Long before container ships and modern ports, merchants were moving goods across the Indian Ocean using seasonal winds and maritime routes. Ports along India's eastern and western coasts could become important links between South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Mediterranean world. Poompuhar appears to have been part of that larger network..
Was Poompuhar Connected to the Roman World?
The wider archaeological record from Tamil Nadu already provides evidence of India's ancient connections with the Mediterranean and West Asia. Sites such as Arikamedu near Puducherry and Alagankulam in Tamil Nadu have produced pottery and other material associated with long-distance trade. Ancient Tamil literature also refers to foreign merchants and visitors, often using the term “Yavana” for people arriving from the western world. The term had a changing meaning over time and was used for different foreign groups in ancient Indian sources. Poompuhar's archaeological evidence now adds another physical dimension to those literary references..
What Happened to the Ancient City?
This may be the most fascinating part of the Poompuhar story. Why did a city that once stood on land end up partly beneath the sea? Archaeologists have considered several possibilities, including coastal erosion, changes in sea level and tsunami activity. Researchers studying the region have found evidence that Poompuhar experienced significant coastal changes over long periods. Parts of the ancient landscape may have been gradually affected by erosion, while catastrophic events may also have played a role. Tamil literature adds another dimension to the story. The Buddhist epic Manimekalai describes Puhar being overwhelmed by the sea. However, archaeologists do not treat the epic's supernatural explanation as geological evidence. Instead, literary accounts are considered alongside archaeological and environmental evidence when researchers try to reconstruct what happened to the city..
More Than Pottery: Structures Beneath the Sea
The underwater exploration has also produced evidence of structures. A large oval-shaped formation has previously been documented several kilometres offshore. It measures roughly 40 metres by 16 metres and rises from the seabed. Researchers are continuing to investigate whether such formations represent human-built structures or natural features modified by later geological processes. On land, archaeological excavations around Poompuhar have already uncovered important remains, including a structure interpreted as an ancient wharf and evidence of Buddhist activity. The combination of land-based and underwater evidence is helping archaeologists reconstruct a much larger picture of the ancient port..
Why the Discovery Matters
The importance of Poompuhar is not simply that an ancient city may have disappeared beneath the sea. It is what the submerged remains can tell us about India's place in the ancient global economy. A piece of imported pottery can reveal movement across thousands of kilometres. A transport vessel can suggest what kinds of goods merchants were carrying. A wharf can provide clues about how ships and cargo were handled. Together, these small pieces can reconstruct an entire maritime world. And Poompuhar is still largely unexplored underwater. The Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department has said that only around 10% of the underwater exploration has been completed so far, meaning there could be much more beneath the seabed..
What Happens Next?
The latest phase of exploration ended in September 2026, with further underwater work planned after the monsoon. According to the Tamil Nadu archaeology department, another phase is expected to begin in January 2027. Researchers plan to continue mapping the submerged port, examining archaeological structures and searching for additional evidence of ancient maritime activity. The pottery recovered during the latest exploration is also being studied in greater detail. Specialists, including international experts, are being consulted to help identify the material and establish its archaeological context..