ARIKAMEDU BEADS

The Romans were having trade contacts with Tamils right from around 300 BCE. Many artifacts of Roman empire are being found in various sites of Chera, Chola and Pandya territories of Tamil Nadu.

The 2000 years old, beads were acquired from Arikamedu (Pondicherry) - a world-renowned center for bead making and a port town of Tamizhagam that traded with Rome. Beads made of precious, semi-precious and ordinary stones, pearl, sandal, textiles, and articles made of gold, ivory, porcelain, glass, terracotta and shell were exported from Arikamedu to the ports of Roman and Greek empires. Containers including amphora jars, cups and plates of Terra Sigillata (fine red Roman clay pottery), ceramic products and horses were imported to Tamizhagam from Rome.