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Kāveripattinam, India, 300AD

Kāveripattinam, India, 300AD

Existence: 400 Years, From 700 BC til 300 BC
Belonged to: Early Chola culture
Abandoned: Natural Disaster

The ancient city of Kaveri Poompattinam was once a flourishing port city. It's ruins can now be found underwater, near the present-day village, Poompuhar, in Tamil Nadu, India. The city is described in ancient Sangam literature as the capital city of the Early Chola kings in Tamilakam. A Purananuru poem says that big ships entered the port of Puhar without slacking sail, and poured out onto the beach precious merchandise brought from overseas. In the extensive markets of Puhar there were many tall mansions surrounded by platforms reached by high ladders. These mansions had many apartments and were provided with doorways, great and small, and with wide hallways and corridors. In all parts of the town there were flags flying of various kinds and shapes.

The ancient city was destroyed in 300 BC. A tsunami is mentioned in the Tamil poem Manimekhalai, which relates that the town Kāveripattinam was swallowed up by the sea. This event is supported by archeological finds of submerged ruins off the coast of modern Poompuhar.