Tamil Nadu’s Department of Archaeology has begun an underwater excavation at Poompuhar, the Sangam-era Chola port city. The work was inaugurated and inspected on Saturday by Archaeology Minister Rajmohan.
Poompuhar is frequently referenced in Sangam literature and later works such as Manimekalai and Silappathikaram, and it also appears in accounts by foreign visitors. Much of the ancient city is believed to have been lost to a sea incursion described as a tsunami, prompting earlier limited underwater studies by central and state archaeology teams.
According to department director Jayaseelan, the current phase will cover both land and sea areas to identify the extent of the Sangam-period harbour and associated structures. The team also aims to locate ancient shipwreck remains and study changes in sea level and river courses.
The excavation is planned across about 250 sq km, from depths of 2 to 60 metres, with support from divers. Officials said earlier surveys in the region have yielded pottery fragments, traces of submerged habitations and an oval-shaped structure.
