10/7/2018 Ancient Ports (Map for History Optional) – HISTORY AND GENERAL STUDIES

i. Bhagatrav

In Bharuch district, Gujarat.

Site of Indus Valley Civilization.
Important port during Harappan period.
Evidences suggest:- decline of Harappan settlement due to ood.

ii. Bhrigukachha

In Bharuch district, Gujarat.

Port at the mouth of Narmada.
Ancient centre of trade.
A ship building center.
The trade route to west made use of monsoon winds.
Many goods from the Far East used this port as a terminus for land-sea trade
routes.
Known to the Greeks, Roman and other western civilizations.
Arab traders entered Gujarat via Bharuch.
The British and the Dutch had established their business centers.

iii. Muziris

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10/7/2018 Ancient Ports (Map for History Optional) – HISTORY AND GENERAL STUDIES

In Cranganore, Kerala.
Ancient port in the Chera kingdom in Sangam Age.
Trade with Arabia, Rome, Greece etc.
Sangam literature, Greek & Roman writers like Pliny, Periplus mention Muziris.
Export:
Spices, semi-precious stones, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, ivory, tortoise shells
etc.
Import:
Romans gold coins, figured linens, copper, tin, lead, coral, raw glass, wine etc.
Muziris Heritage Project started by Kerala government.

iv. Puhar/ Pumpuhar/ Kaveripattinam (Lost Port)

In Nagapattinam district, Tamilnadu.

Sea port of Cholas during the Sangam age.
Centre of trade- foreign trade.
Capital of the early Chola kings.
Near Kaveri River.
Mentioned in the Periplus of Ereythrean Sea and Silapathikaram.
Medieval Chola coins found:- continued to be an important port in later times as
well.
Ancient Pottery found.

v. Arikamedu/ poduka

Near Puducherry.
Known as Poduka to the Romans.
Famous port during the sangam Age under Early Chola.
Bead making facility and trading with Roman.
Roman artifacts:
Amphorae bearing the mark of Roman pottery.
Roman lamps, glassware and gems.
Roman golden coins proves that India got a lot of gold in return of her export.

vi. Tamralipti

In Tamluk near the mouth of the Ganges in Midnapur district of West Bengal.
Emporium of trade.
Connected to Taxila by land and river on one hand and with south-east Asia by
sea on the other.
Antiquities of Chalcolithic period and NBPW phase found.
Discovery of Roulette ware and red polished ware of Roman type indicates the
trade contact with Roman.
Urban character is proved by discovery of terracotta gurines, coins, beads or
semi-precious stones etc.

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10/7/2018 Ancient Ports (Map for History Optional) – HISTORY AND GENERAL STUDIES

vii. Lothal

In Ahmedabad district, Gujarat
During pre harappan:  It was a small village.
Centre of  harbour, cotton and rice-growing and bead-making industry.
City divided into a citadel and a lower town.
The constructions were made of fire dried bricks, lime and sand mortar. The
remains of the city give evidence to
A sophisticated drainage system.
Important findings:
Dockyard,
Persian Gulf Seals,
Shell ornaments maker’s shop,
Bead maker’s shop,
Metal worker’s shop,
Fire altars,
terracotta figurine of house,
warehouse,
merchant house,
impression of cloth on some of the sealing,
twelve bathrooms in the citadel area.
An ivory scale:- smallest-known decimal divisions in Indus civilisation.
connected to other cities through river route.
A coastal trade route had existed linking sites such as Lothal and Dholavira to
Sutkagan Dor on the Makran coast.

Later Harappan culture:

Continued to be inhabited,
Much smaller population
Devoid of urban influences.
Trade and resources of the city were almost gone,
The people retained several Harappan ways in writing, pottery and utensils.

viii. Sopara (Surparaka)

In Thane district, Maharashtra.

Known to Ptolemy and the author of the Periplus.
Seaport and a centre of international trade.
Centre of artisanal activity which manufactured swords, shoes and other leather
goods that were in great demand in the western world.
A major rock edict of Ashoka found.
The relics of stupa found.

ix. Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam)

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10/7/2018 Ancient Ports (Map for History Optional) – HISTORY AND GENERAL STUDIES

In Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.

Existed during Satavahana period.
Mentioned by Ptolemy, The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
Muslin was traded by ancient Greeks from the town
Served as the settlement of European traders : English and  Dutch

x. Mamallapuram

In Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu.

Developed by the Pallava King Narsimhavarman Mamalla and Rajasimhavarman
in the 7th century AD.
Cave temples, monolithic rathas, sculpted reliefs and structural temples built.
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Famous monuments:
Descent of the Ganges – a giant open-air rock relief
Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) –
Of the nine monolithic temples found in Mahabalipuram, the most
important are Five Rathas known after the famous five Pandava brothers
of the Mahabharata fame.
Each of these is carved from one single large piece of granite stone.
Shore Temple, a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal with the entrance
from the western side away from the sea.
Pallavas used the port to launch trade and diplomatic missions to Sri Lanka and
Southeast Asia.

xi. Korkai

In Tirunelveli district, near the mouth of the Vaigai,.

Early capital of Early Pandya.
Pandya port, celebrated for its pearls in Sangam poems and Greek accounts.
Important pearl fishing centre- excavation evidence and mentioned in The
Arthashastra
BRW and locally made rouletted ware with Brahmi letters belonging to c. 200
BCE–200 CE.

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