Underwater survey in TN to verify Ptolemy's account

A coastal survey is being carried out in Tamil Nadu by a team of professors and students, seeking to throw more light on the ancient ports in south India, mentioned in Greco Roman geographer Ptolemy's accounts.
The survey is being done by experts, specialising in underwater archeology of Thanjavur-based Tamil University, in two coastal stretches -- one between Kanyakumari and Rameswaram and another between Rameswaram and Poompuhar in Nagapattinam district -- intends to gather more information from ruins of coastal towns, which are believed to have existed during the Sangam literature era.
Facilitated by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil with a funding of Rs five lakh, the survey is headed by N Athiyaman of the Centre for Underwater Archeology in Tamil University.

"The survey intends to study the ancient coastal towns, which have functioned as ports. Our preliminary survey is to locate the area, over which we can focus for further research. We are now looking at ports," Athiyaman told PTI.
Ancient Tamil literature, including 'Akananuru' of the Sangam era, referred to the period between 600 BCE and 300 CE, suggest that some 20 to 25 ports had existed in the region.
"Greco Roman writer Ptolemy's geographical accounts mention some 15 ports. We want to find out whether these ports mentioned in the Sangam era literature and by Ptolemy are the same," Athiyaman said.

For instance, a port known as Manamelkudi near Thondi Port, is mentioned in the 'Akananuru' as Sellur. But ambiguity still remains as to whether that is the same town referred to by Ptolemy as Sallur in his accounts, he said.