gems, early trade, India, Rome

Pillay surveys the maritime trade of early Tamil Nadu, drawing particularly on Sangam literature and classical accounts to reconstruct the commercial importance of the Tamil coast. He discusses the principal ports, including Muziris, Tondi, Puhar (Kaveripattinam), and Korkai, and the participation of the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms in overseas commerce. Particular attention is given to contacts with Mediterranean merchants—the Yavanas of Tamil sources—and to the exchange of South Indian products through maritime networks. Archaeological evidence, including Roman coins and Mediterranean artifacts recovered from coastal sites, complements the literary record of this trade. Pillay emphasizes the role of ports as centers of economic activity and cultural contact and the importance of maritime commerce in the prosperity of early Tamil society. Beryl and pearls as export material from South India to Rome are mentioned.