Ancient Seaports of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and Their Trade Network

The Indian seaports, positioned in a vital location on the globe, performed as a pivot of oceanic trade linkage of the western and eastern countries of the world for centuries right from the 3rd millennium BCE. The seaports located at the river mouths or outlets of the long coastline of peninsular India are well-known for their busy maritime interactions. Many local and foreign works such as the Periplus Maris Erythraei, Ptolemy, Pliny, Hiuen Tsang, I-Tsing, Marco Polo, Ibn Battutah and others afford abundant information about the prosperous position of the ancient maritime centres in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and their busy oceanic trade undertakings with different countries. Fascinatingly, the archaeological investigations at the ancient seaport sites have brought to light lots of pottery, amphorae, lamps, coins, intaglio, beads, rings, glass objects, etc., of foreign origin. The seaports of South India not only played a vital role in stimulating seafaring trade, but also the hub of spread of culture, tradition, religion, philosophy, language, technology, art and architecture of this region to other countries and vice versa. The prime aim of this paper is to explain in depth all the main ancient seaports in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and their maritime trade activities.