Ancient port city of Poompuhar traced undersea, claim researchers

A huge harbour, lighthouse and settlements formed part of the port city, they claim

Researchers of Bharathidasan University’s Department of Remote Sensing, the lead agency of a Department of Science and Technology-sponsored research study, on January 20 claimed to have found traces of an ancient port city buried undersea, at a depth of 50-100 metres, about 30-40 km off the coast of the present-day Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district.

The city, they said, was spread over about 250 sq. km, complete with a huge harbour, a lighthouse, ship and dockyards, and settlements.

The study covered the coastal area and about 1,000 square kilometres of the offshore area in the Bay of Bengal, and the findings were based on satellite, the General Bathymetry Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) and multi-beam eco sounder (MBES) data. The MBES data were collected by the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai.

“A major finding, based on a study of the past sea levels, is that Poompuhar is not just 2,500 years old as believed widely and might be more than 15,000 years old. It might be one of the oldest port cities in the world,” said SM. Ramasamy, Professor of Eminence and national coordinator, Project Poompuhar.

Poompuhar, also known Kaveripoompattinam, was submerged by the sea, and there are references to this in the Tamil epic Manimekalai. “The disappearance of the port city remained a mystery. We set out to digitally reconstruct the history of Poompuhar with the support of the Department of Science and Technology, with an initial funding of about ₹8.90 crore in 2019,” Professor Ramasamy said.

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The studies carried out using GEBCO data showed a series of three deltas of the Cauvery, which run up to 40 km in the sea. The MBES data led to the discovery of a major coastal land system with sand banks, backwaters, beach ridges, rivers, estuaries and ancient shorelines. “We also inferred a scientifically designed harbour, about 11 km long and 2.5 km wide, running from north to south, with a number of canals meant for movement of big vessels and turning them. In between, there are broad plateaux which could have been used for loading, unloading and storing of merchandise.”