Puducherry's maritime history to be showcased at Greco Roman trading centre of Arikamedu

Excavations carried out here uncovered substantial evidence of a Roman trading settlement including amphorae, lamps, glassware, coins, beads made of stone, glass and gold, and gems
Arikamedu had trade links with Rome and other parts of Europe between the 2nd century BCE and the 8th century CE (Express Photo | G Pattabiraman)
Arikamedu had trade links with Rome and other parts of Europe between the 2nd century BCE and the 8th century CE (Express Photo | G Pattabiraman)

PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry's maritime links with Rome and other countries are to be showcased at Arikamedu, the ancient Greco Roman trading port on the banks of the Ariyankuppam river, with the government drawing up plans for the purpose.

The government plans to set up a museum at Arikamedu, around six kilometres from Puducherry, said Puducherry Tourism Minister K Lakshminarayanan. It will display the artefacts found in the site through excavation, throwing light on the maritime history of the place and South India. To make the tourism experience more exciting, boating facilities would be introduced on the Ariyankuppam river to facilitate people to reach Arikamedu through the river route, he said. Besides, some amenities and refreshment stalls would be set up at the place by the tourism department for visitors.

After the Puducherry government expressed its desire to develop the site as a centre for tourism at the recent conference of Tourism and Culture Ministers of the Southern Region in Bengaluru, the Tourism Ministry accepted the proposal, said Lakshminarayanan.

But since Arikamedu remains a protected site under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to trace the remains of the ancient town, now in ruins, the ASI has been requested to provide a small portion of the land for the purpose, Lakshminarayanan told The New Indian Express. The Centre had agreed to sanction Rs 1.78 crore on his request to establish the site museum at Arikamedu.

A team of ASI officials recently visited Puducherry and held discussions with Lakshminarayanan and Puducherry Art and Culture Minister Chandira Priyanka along with senior officials of the government. It has been decided to erect a wall demarcating the area, said Priyanka. The team would be revisiting the site some time in January, she said.

Arikamedu, an archaeological site six kilometres from Puducherry, had trade links with Rome and other parts of Europe between the 2nd century BCE and the 8th century CE. Excavations carried out by Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler in 1945 and Jean-Marie Casal from 1947-1950 revealed walls, remains of a harbour, pillars and many other architectural structures. They uncovered substantial evidence of a Roman trading settlement including amphorae, lamps, glassware, coins, beads made of stone, glass and gold, and gems.

Based on these finds, it appears the settlement engaged in considerable trade with the Roman and later Byzantine world. In addition to this trade, Arikamedu was also a centre of manufacture in its own right producing textiles, particularly the cotton fabric muslin, jewellery, stone, glass, and gold beads (for which the settlement was particularly renowned). Many distinctive wares have been uncovered which clearly pre-date Roman exchange including products made locally such as shells, beads and pottery indicating a flourishing local craft tradition before the arrival of foreign influences.

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