History & Culture Vembakottai excavations Context: Fragments of torpedo jars believed to have been used in Roman and West Asian regions for transporting liquids such as olive oil and wine have been unearthed during excavations at the Vembakottai archaeological site. The Vembakottai excavations carried out in three phases by the state archaeology department have yielded several rare artefacts including terracotta seals, glass beads, conch bangles, microlithic tools, terracotta earrings, figurines, rings, discs and ivory items. The findings of the torpedo jar fragments is considered significant, as such jars are historically associated with overseas trade, especially in the Roman and West Asian regions. The presence of these fragments proves that ancient Tamil merchants traded along the Vaippar river basin with foreign regions. Artifacts Unearthed So Far at the Vembakkottai Excavation Site The site is situated in the Virudhunagar district. Gold ornaments were discovered here at depths ranging from 1.15 meters to 1.59 meters. One of these artifacts is conical in shape, while the other is rectangular. To date, over 1,300 artifacts have been unearthed, including an ivory die, a terracotta smoking pipe, an earring, and a stone weight. A Carnelian intaglio (seal stone) engraved with the image of a humped bull was discovered at this site. This marks only the second instance in the history of archaeological excavations in Tamil Nadu where such a stone has been found. Previously, a similar seal stone—engraved with the image of a wild boar—was discovered at Keeladi, near Madurai. Carnelian stones are typically found only in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Furthermore, the ‘intaglio’ carving technique is of Roman origin. It is noteworthy that the Carnelian seal stones discovered at both Keeladi and Musiri belong to the Sangam period.
