Indian Ocean Maritime Trade: Evidences from Vizhinjam

Journal of IndIan ocean archaeology no. 9, 2013 | 195

Indian Ocean Maritime Trade: Evidences from Vizhinjam, South Kerala, India

— Ajit Kumar* Rajesh S.V.* Abhayan G.S.* Vinod V.* and Sujana Stephen**

ilinjam also spelt as Vizhinjam

(18° 22’ N and 76° 58’ E) is today a

fishing hamlet situated seventeen

* Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala- 695581. Email: [email protected]**Archaeological Survey of India, Bangalore Circle, 5th Floor, F Wing, Kendriya Sadan, 17, Main Road, Koramangala, Bangalore – 560034

kilometers south of Thiruvananthapuram,

the capital city of Kerala (Fig.1). Explorations

and excavations at Vizhinjam over the last V

Fig. 1: Location map of Vizhinjam

This paper highlights the status of Vizhinjam as an international port of trade from the first century

CE to modern times. In particular, the paper reports evidence of Vizhinjam’s trade with the Western

World in the early centuries CE and the possibility of the site being the ancient harbour of Balita

mentioned in the Greek text Periplus Maris Erythraei.

196 | Journal of IndIan ocean archaeology no. 9, 2013

few years have yielded variety of artifacts

revealing its deep entrenchment in Indian

Ocean maritime trade and evidence of

an unknown facet of Vizhinjam’s history

(Kumar 2006a: 72-80).

BrieF History

It has been opined that Vizhinjam could

be Balita mentioned by the Greek Sea

guide Periplus Maris Erythrea (1st Century

CE) as ‘the village by the deep sea’ before

Comari (Kanyakumari) further south of

it. The sea around Vizhinjam is naturally

very deep even today and this feature is not

observed anywhere along the coast between

Vizhinjam and Kanyakumari (Comari),

hence the inference that Vizhinjam could

be Balita apparently has a strong standing

(Schoff 1911: 235; Pillai 1984: 177). This

area falls to the south of Nelcynda which

Periplus places under the hegemony of the

Pandya rulers of Madurai. It is also presumed

that Vizhinjam may be the same as Blinca,

a coastal town lying north of Kumari

(Kanayakumari), mentioned in Peutinger

Tables (Kumar 2011: 43).

Vizhinjam was apparently a part of

the Pandya territory during the early

historic as well as the medieval periods

for brief intervals. In medieval Tamil

epigraphs and literary sources Vizhinjam

is referred to as the capital of Malainadu

and spelt as Vilinda/Vilinam/Vilunum.

There are also some inscriptions, where it

is referred to as Rajendrasolapattnam and

Kolutongasolapattnam (Rao 1920: 49, 197-

98).

Epigraphic and literary sources denote

that, Vizhinjam was constantly under the

military raids of the Pandyas and Cholas

(Sastri 1920a: 441-465; Sastri 1920b: 383-

445; Sadasivan, K. 2003). However, the

defeated local rulers are not mentioned

by name nor do literary or epigraphical

sources give any indication of the process

or factors that helped Vizhinjam to resurrect

and regain its opulence after these frequent

raids. An island fort described as surrounded

by sea finds mention in Pandya and Chola

inscriptions and was a source of many

contentions. Its existence was a mystery till

its ruins were uncovered during explorations

conducted at Vizhinjam (Kumar 2006b).

After the Chola period the trade activities

from Vizhinjam apparently declined. It got

a brief resurrection in the colonial period

with the advent of the Dutch, Portuguese

and British.

explorations and excavations

at vizHinjam

Explorations and clearance work have

yielded the remains of a fort in the locality

of Mathilppuram close the sea at Vizhinjam.

This area was once surrounded by waters

of the Arabian Sea and its setting perfectly

matches the description given in epigraphs

(Sastri 1920a: 441-465; Sastri 1920b: 383-

445; Kumar 2006b). It was constructed using

rubble, cut lateritie blocks and mud (Fig.2).

Excavations undertaken during the past

three seasons (2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13)

have yielded a rich cache of artifacts throwing

new light on the history of Vizhinjam.


Eleven trenches were excavated in different

localities and a variety of artifacts ranging

from early historic to late medieval periods

were recovered. The foreign pottery recovered

from the site indicated that Vizhinjam was

well entrenched in the Indian Ocean trade

extending from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf

to the South China coast.

artiFacts From vizHinjam

The earliest artifact reported from Vizhinjam

seems to be a gold coin (Fig.3). According to

Francis (2011: 62-69), this coin is of Ptolemy

II (Philadelphos) who ruled Egypt (285 to 246

BCE). The coin was in the possession of a

jeweler. Except for the published photograph

nothing much is known.

Early pottery from Vizhinjam is a

variety of embossed or paddled red ware

that has close parity with those found in

Kottapattnam in Andhra Pradesh and

Arikamedu in Pondicherry. Petrographic

studies of this pottery from Kottapattnam

indicate that it probably has it origin in

South-East Asia and dates from early historic

period. This pottery is generally distributed

in the sites along the littoral regions and

owes its dispersal to maritime trade. At

Kottapattnam and Arikamedu this pottery is

dated to early historic times (Rao 2000: 94).

Rouletted Ware and Torpedo Jar sherds

from the earliest levels of Vizhinjam establish

Fig. 2: Remains of fort wall at Vizhinjam

Fig. 3: Coin of Ptolemy II (Philadelphos) from Vizhinjam


the early history and antiquity of the

same as a port town (Figs. 4 and Plate 1).

Rouletted ware has been reported from a

host of maritime and other early historic

sites in India. This pottery is an excellent

chronological indicator and is believed to

have had its origin in Bengal region and

dispersed along coastal and other early

historic sites due to internal and maritime

trade activity and was in circulation from

2nd cent BCE to 2nd Cent CE. Torpedo Jars

are essentially of West-Asian origin. It

was essentially a storage and transport jar

(Plate 2). The internal coating of bitumen

in the torpedo shards indicates that the

vessel’s walls were sealed to hold liquid and

have their origin in Mesopotamian region.

Torpedo shards may belong to 4th - 7th

centuries (Tomber 2007: 973).

Petrographic study undertaken on

specimens from Vizhinjam indicate that they

can be distinguished into two fabric groups,

one originating from Iraq and other possibly

from Syria. The eggshell ware identified

from Vizhinjam also owes its origin to Iraq

(Balvally et al. 2013).

A large cache of Turquoise Glazed

Pottery (darker shades from lower layers

and brighter shades from upper layers) has

been discovered at Vizhinjam (Plate 3). It

has long duration of use and existence at

Vizhinjam. TGP has its origin in Iraq/Iran

during the Parthian period and continues

into the Sasanian period. Studies on TGP

are underway, spectrometric analysis

indicates the presence of copper which

being responsible for the turquoise colour

(Nakai 2013: Personal Communication).

Petrographic analysis of one large base shard

of a storage jar indicates that it is non local

in origin and needs further probe (Tomber

2013: Personal communication).

Vizhinjam is equally rich in pottery

from East Asia. The Chinese wares include

plain white variety, blue on white, Celadon

and a pale yellow crackled ware with blue

paintings (Plate 4). The plain white variety

though meagre in quantity, is datable to 9th

Century CE. The pale green celadon shards

are datable between 11th and 12th CE. The

Fig. 4a: Rouletted ware: Interior Fig. 4b. Rouletted ware: Exterior


West Asian region. The Ay chieftains ruling

from Vizhinjam were perpetuators of early

medieval trade activity from Vizhinjam.

Vizhinjam continued to play a pivotal role

in the Indian Ocean trade even subsequently

during colonial period extending from China

to West Asia and Europe as attested from

Chinese and other European wares found

from the site (Plate 4 and 5).

The external trade also generated internal

trade and the society was in a prosperous

state is also attested by the variety of local

pottery types and other artifacts found at

the site. The dwellings were apparently of

perishable material (wood, thatch and tiles).

An evidence of a small structure made of

dressed laterite and undressed charnokite

came up in the excavation. This was possibly

part of a dwelling as kitchen items like

saddle quern, pounding stone and other

domestic materials. A bowl-on-stand type of

pottery and pottery with appliqué decoration

discovered from these levels is interesting.

Similar pottery has not been reported from

south-India during the Medieval period

(Plate 6).

Among the other interesting finds are a

few coins the historicity of which is yet to be

assessed, beads of glass and semiprecious

stones like carnelian (not locally available

material). These probably came to Vizhinjam

through trade (Plate 7).

The most important recovery throwing

light on the religious history of the region is

a Shiv Linga, observed in explorations (Plate

8). It was used in constructing a retention

wall of a house in the Mathilppuram area

Blue on White shards are far largest in

number and range in date from 12th -18th

centuries. Most of the Chinese porcelain

seems to have their origin from the kilns of

Longquan and Jingdezhen in south China

(Sasaki 2007: Personal Communication).

Apart from Vizhinjam, Chinese porcelain

has been reported from a host of sites along

the coast of Kerala like Kollam, Kappad,

Kottapuram and Pattnam (near Kodungllur),

and Panthalayani Kollam (Varier 2010:

39-41).

The Burmese and East Asian (Thai and

Vietnamese) porcelain have been identified

from Vizhinjam and possibly date between

14th and 16th Centuries CE. The shards of

Dutch (Plate 5), and British porcelain or table

ware indicate that Vizhinjam maintained

contacts with European countries as late as

18th-19th century CE.

Archaeological finds, indicate that

Vizhinjam apparently had maritime

commercial contacts extending from littoral

regions of Red Sea coast to South-East Asia

commencing as early as 2rd Cent. BCE.

The most flourishing phase of maritime

commerce from Vizhinjam was apparently

between 7th and 12th centuries CE. This period

is also synchronous with the political and

maritime commercial expansions under the

stewardship of Ays, Cheras, Pandyas and

Cholas rulers.

The evidence of large quantities and

variety of Torpedo jar shards and Turquoise

Glazed Pottery indicates brisk trade activities

even during the early medieval period (7th

- 11th cent CE) with the Persian Gulf and


of Vizhinjam. Though damaged, its features

reveal that it is datable to the 8th--9th century

CE. The discovery of this Linga indicate the

presence of one more Siva temple in the

region apart from the ones already existing.

It is interesting to note that all the temples

at Vizhinjam are located close to the port

or harbor and are dedicated to Lord Shiva.

concluding oBservations

Vizhinjam is strategically located along the

southern tip of the Indian peninsula. The

archaeological evidences emerging from

explorations and excavations at Vizhinjam

indicate that it is one of the earliest historical

townships and trade mart along south

Kerala coast catering to and entrenched in

the international maritime trade flourishing

along the Indian Ocean. The earlier reported

coin of Ptolemy II (Philadelphos) from the

area and the discovery of Rouletted ware

seem to indicate that Vizhinjam has a

history which definitely goes back to early

historic period. This apparently tends to

vouch Vizhinjam’s identification as Balita

of the Periplus or Blinca of Peutinger tables.

The zenith of international maritime trade

from Vizhinjam was achieved during the

reign of the Ay chieftains (7th-9th cent CE)

and subsequently under the Cholas for a

brief while. After the Chola period there

was apparently a lull in trade activities

which later had a spurt during the colonial

period. Vizhinjam’s tryst with international

maritime trade will continue with the

commissioning of the international container

terminal. No other port along the Indian

Ocean, except Vizhinjam, can boast of a

continued maritime history and association

with international trade spanning over 2000

years. This is essentially due to its strategic

location and natural deep sea harbor

which, first finds mention in the Periplus of

Erythraean Sea datable to the 1st cent. CE.

acknowledgement

The authors wish to acknowledge with

thanks Dr. Henae Sasaki of Archaeological

Research Centre, Kanazawa University,

Japan for her studies on Chinese porcelain

and her comments on other types from

Vizhinjam. We also wish to thank Dr.

Roberta Tomber of British Museum, London

for her comments on the pottery types from

Vizhinjam. We thank Prof. Izumi Nakai and

his team from Tokyo University of Science,

Tokyo for studies undertaken on glass, metal

and TGP. Thanks to Ritvik G. Balvally from

the Department of Archaeology and Ancient

History, The Maharaja Sayajirao University

of Baroda for his observations on the Torpedo

and other pottery finds. We also wish to

thank students and staff of the Department

of Archaeology, University of Kerala and

local people of Vizhinjam for making the

field work feasible.


References

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ajit kumar, et al., Plate 1: Torpedo sherds and Rouletted Ware from Vizhinjam

ajit kumar, et al., Plate 2: Sherds of Torpedo Jars, some with bitumen coating from Vizhinjam

ajit kumar, et al., Plate 3: Turquoise Glazed Pottery from Vizhinjam


ajit kumar, et al., Plate 4: Chinese Ceramics from Vizhinjam

ajit kumar, et al., Plate 5: European wear from Vizhinjam, Dutch Ceramics from Vizhinjam

ajit kumar, et al., Plate 6: Decorated Local Pottery from Vizhinjam


ajit kumar, et al., Plate 7: Glass Beads from Vizhinjam

ajit kumar, et al., Plate 8: Shivalinga in a Compound Wall

Indian Ocean Maritime Trade: Evidences from Vizhinjam

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