THOOTHUKUDI: The State government has launched a seven-day underwater archaeological survey in association with the National Institute of Oceanography and Indian Maritime University to find evidence relating to the Sangam-era port of Korkai.
A ship equipped with Multibeam Echo Sounding, Sidescan Sonar and Sub-bottom Profiler has arrived at Thoothukudi VOC port to carry out the reconnaissance survey.
The survey is being held as part of Porunai (Thamirabarani) river valley civilization explorations following an archaeological study at Korkai, a port town now located at a distance of eight km from the shore and three km north of river Thamirabarani.
The survey is expected to find the actual geographical location of the ancient Korkai port of the Pandiyan kingdom, a popular port on the east coast of the southern Indian peninsula during the 5th century CE.
The research ship will survey the seabed for any artefacts, antique objects, ship wreckage or any structure and other evidence related to the Korkai port, its extent, and trade activity.
The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology had earlier conducted an offshore survey in Poompuhar in 1981 and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has carried out an underwater survey at Mamallapuram in 2005.