NAGAPATTINAM: A team of archaeological experts have unearthed a tenth century stone engraving belonging to the Chola era at Thalachangadu village in Nagapattinam district.
The team also found semi precious stones, burial urns and lamps at the site located inside the panchayat union middle school at Thalachangadu at a depth of 13 feet. The finding has established that the ancient port town of Poompuhar had extended till Thalachangadu. Thalachangadu is about eight km from Poompuhar, a flourishing coastal trade centre that submerged later.
The stone engraving belonged to the period of Parantaka Chola I. Besides, another stone engraving belonging to Naik period installed in 1825 was also found. Close to the site where the stone engravings were excavated, the team found a burial urn in a broken state, a lamp, sea shells and semi-precious stones.
"Poompuhar, a centre of Tamil civilization had extended till Thalachangadu. Historic evidences like the stone engravings and the semi-precious stones found during the month long excavation exercise have established this fact," said G Muthusamy, curator of Tharangampadi government museum, who was part of the team.
In August last year several articles dating back to the 10th Century Chola period were unearthed by archaeologists in Sembianmahadevi and Pappakovil villages also near Poompuhar. The articles, including a big wooden paddy measure called `marakkal' and three big clay oil containers, believed to be made in China, were found by an archaeology team.
Archaeological experts feel that the region is a treasure trove of buried history and excavation of potential sites might reveal more historic facts. Muthusamy said the articles found at Thalachangadu would be displayed at a proposed archaeological museum in Poompuhar.
