Rare artefacts from the ancient port city of Arikamedu and models of Puducherry’s oceanic trade network with the Roman Empire, early settlements from the iron and medieval age, navigation and maritime activities and trade practices are on display at an exhibition organised by the Department of History at Tagore Arts College.
“The three-day workshop-cum-exhibition of artefacts excavated from Arikamedu and surrounding areas provide a glimpse of the civilisation that flourished several years ago in Puducherry. The exhibition also has photographs of settlements from the Iron Age, Arikamedu’s rise as a port city, medieval habitations and forts built by the Dutch and French in Puducherry. Arikamedu is the oldest archaeological site in south India and the findings provide a chronology of south Indian history,” Ravichandirane Perumal, assistant professor of History, told The Hindu
Archaeological evidence proves that the city of Puducherry existed 2,400 years ago and this was scientifically proved in 1930s when French excavators and archaeologists surveyed Arikamedu 7 km from here. They conducted a series of excavations between 1935 and 1945 and discovered Iron Age burial sites.
The findings of French excavators attracted the attention of British archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler who introduced the stratigraphy system and published the first scientific study on Puducherry.
Extensive excavations demonstrated that Arikamedu was a port where commercial relations were established between India and the Roman Empire, Mr. Ravichandirane said.
In 1991, Vimala Bagley, a scholar, initiated a new method of excavations at Arikamedu and published the findings.
After the discovery of Arikamedu, Indian historians focused on the maritime trade routes which linked the Mediterranean basin and south India.
Y. Subbarayulu, head, Department of Indology, French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) said that important artefacts, particularly jewellery excavated at Suthukeni near Arikamedu, have been housed at the Guimet Museum in Paris and museums in Delhi, Chennai and Puducherry.
