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{{Short description|Marine Archaeological Museum in Poompuhar, Mayiladuthurai district}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Marine Archaeological Museum, Poompuhar
| image = Sillapathikaram Art Gallery in Poombuhar, Tamil Nadu.jpg
| caption = Poompuhar Museum Art Gallery
| former_name = Puhar or Kaveripoompattinam
| established = 1997
| location = [[Poompuhar]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11.143133|N|79.856016|E|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[Maritime museum]]
}}

'''Maritime Archaeological Museum, Poompuhar,''' is a maritime archaeological site museum located at [[Poombuhar|Poompuhar]] (erstwhile Kaverippumpattinam or Puhar) in the [[Mayiladuthurai district]] of the Indian [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]] on the southern side of [[Coromandel Coast]].
== Location ==
Poompuhar is a town located at the mouth of the [[Kaveri|Cauvery River]] in Tamil Nadu, India. It served as a major [[port]] city during the [[Chola dynasty|Chola period]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ramasamy |first1=S. M. |last2=Saravanavel |first2=J. |last3=Palanivel |first3=K. |last4=Kumanan |first4=C. J. |last5=Rajasekhar |first5=D. |date=2020-08-10 |title=Detection of submerged harbour using GEBCO and MBES data, in the offshore region of ancient port city Poompuhar, South India |url=https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/Documents/PLACES/IndOc-Gulf/Poompuhar-Ramasamy2020a.pdf |journal=Current Science |volume=119 |issue=3 |pages=526–534 |doi=10.18520/cs/v119/i3/526-534 |access-date=2025-12-02}}</ref> The town is situated approximately {{Convert|24|km|mi|abbr=unit}} from the district headquarters, [[Mayiladuthurai]], {{Convert|21|km|mi|abbr=unit}} from [[Sirkazhi]], {{Convert|24|km|mi|abbr=unit}} from [[Tharangambadi]], and {{Convert|279|km|mi|abbr=unit}} from the state capital, [[Chennai]]. The nearest railway station is [[Mayiladuthurai Junction railway station|Mayiladuthurai Junction]], and the nearest airport is [[Tiruchirappalli International Airport]] (IATA: TRZ, ICAO: VOTR).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Marine Archaeological Site Museum - Poompuhar {{!}} Department Of Archaeology |url=https://tnarch.gov.in/marine-archaeological-museum-poompuhar |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241109192328/https://tnarch.gov.in/marine-archaeological-museum-poompuhar |archive-date=2024-11-09 |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=www.tnarch.gov.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-26 |title=தமிழர் கடல் நகரம் பூம்புகார் 15 ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகள் பழமையானதா? |url=https://www.bbc.com/tamil/articles/cg3wdrv3r32o |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=BBC News தமிழ் |language=ta}}</ref>

The State Archaeological Museum is located near [[Poompuhar Beach]].<ref name=":0" />

== Displayed objects ==
Poompuhar is extensively mentioned in [[Sangam literature]](circa 300 BCE to 300 CE),<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Learn Sangam Tamil |url=https://learnsangamtamil.com/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Learn Sangam Tamil |language=en}}</ref> a collection of Tamil poetic works. Texts like [[Cilappatikaram|Silappathikaram]]<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.tamilvu.org/library/nationalized/pdf/42-thirukudarsundarm/silapathigaram.pdf |title=சிலப்பதிகாரம் |publisher=Tamil Virtual Academy |access-date=2025-12-02}}</ref> and [[Manimekalai]]<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0710.pdf |title=சிலப்பதிகாரம் |publisher=Project Madurai |access-date=2025-12-02}}</ref> provide vivid descriptions of the city's grandeur, its bustling markets, and its cultural life.<ref name=":1" /> The ancient city believed to have been partially submerged in the sea. In 1981,<ref>{{cite web |last=Rao |first=S. R. |year=1991 |title=Poompuhar: An Ancient Port Town |url=https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/Documents/PLACES/IndOc-Gulf/Poompuhar-Rao1991.pdf |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Ancient Ports and Harbours |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Jayakumar |first=S. |year=2004 |title=Submergence of Poompuhar |url=https://drs.nio.res.in/drs/bitstream/handle/2264/1161/INCHOE_Proc_2004_2_820.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=National Institute of Oceanography – INCHOE Proceedings |format=PDF}}</ref> the Archaeological Survey of India conducted preliminary underwater explorations in the area. An Underwater Archaeological Site Museum was inaugurated in 1997<ref>{{Cite web |title=Way2News Tamil |url=https://tamil.way2news.com/%e0%ae%ae%e0%ae%af%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b2%e0%ae%be%e0%ae%9f%e0%af%81%e0%ae%a4%e0%af%81%e0%ae%b1%e0%af%88-%e0%ae%87%e0%ae%aa%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%aa%e0%ae%9f%e0%ae%bf-%e0%ae%92%e0%ae%b0%e0%af%81-%e0%ae%b5/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |language=en}}</ref> in Poompuhar to display artifacts recovered during these explorations. It is the only museum of its kind in India dedicated to underwater archaeology.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |title=Yet another step towards unearthing the glorious past of Poompuhar, the capital of early Cholas |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/yet-another-step-towards-unearthing-the-glorious-past-of-poompuhar-the-capital-of-early-cholas/article69372624.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328091329/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/yet-another-step-towards-unearthing-the-glorious-past-of-poompuhar-the-capital-of-early-cholas/article69372624.ece |archive-date=2025-03-28 |access-date=2025-12-02 |work=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=N. Vinoth |date=2022-02-12 |title=ASI revives underwater archaeology wing, TN can now unearth Poompuhar |url=https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/asi-revives-underwater-archaeology-wing-tn-can-now-unearth-poompuhar |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=thefederal.com |language=en}}</ref>

Artifacts have been recovered from both offshore and onshore explorations and excavations in the Poompuhar region. These include Roman rouletted [[pottery]], [[terracotta]] figurines such as [[The Buddha|Buddha]] heads and [[Buddha footprint|Buddhapadam]] (Buddha footprint in English), large [[Brick|bricks]], [[Bead|beads]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]] and Chinese pottery, stamped pottery from [[Alagankulam]], wooden artifacts, ring wells, [[Megalith|megalithic]] objects, Chinese jars, [[British Raj|British-era]] cooling jars, [[silambu]] ([[anklet]] in english), lead [[Ingot|ingots]], [[Buddha statues]], stone sculptures of [[Aiyanar|Ayyanar]], and [[ship]] models.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poompuhar |url=http://www.tnarch.gov.in/excavation/poo.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901132454/http://www.tnarch.gov.in/excavation/poo.htm |archive-date=2017-09-01 |access-date=2017-08-21}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Visiting hours ==
[[File:Buddisht Monastery ruins, Poompuhar.jpg|thumb|Buddisht Monastery ruins]]
Visitors are allowed to this museum from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m and Friday holiday.<ref name=":0" />

== Future Archaeological Work ==
On 15 March 2025, the [[Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology]] has announced plans for a series of deep-sea archaeological excavations off the coast of Poompuhar. These excavations aim to uncover submerged structures and artifacts, shedding light on the city’s maritime trade and cultural significance during the early [[Chola dynasty|Chola period]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Fernando |first=Antony |date=2025-03-15 |title=Deep-sea archaeological excavation between Poompuhar and Nagapattinam announced in Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2025/Mar/15/deep-sea-archaeological-excavation-between-poompuhar-and-nagapattinam-announced-in-tamil-nadu |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Pallavaneswaram excavations (2).jpg|thumb|Pallavaneswaram excavations]]
Previous explorations, conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography in the 1980s and 1990s, revealed man-made structures, brick formations, and artifacts dating from the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE. Discoveries included shipwrecks, laterite stone structures, black-and-red ware ceramics, and remnants of Dutch and British ships. Scholars expect that the upcoming excavations will provide further insights into Poompuhar’s seafaring heritage, as documented in [[Sangam literature]] and accounts of foreign travelers.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Charan |first=N. Sai |date=2025-08-31 |title=T.N. Archaeology Department to begin underwater archaeological survey off the coast between Poompuhar and Nagapattinam in mid-September |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tn-archaeology-department-to-begin-underwater-archaeological-survey-off-the-coast-between-poompuhar-and-nagapattinam-in-mid-september/article69996272.ece |access-date=2025-12-02 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==

* [https://vidya-sagar.com/2019/11/30/poompuhar-maritime-museum/ Poompuhar maritime museum]
{{Mayiladuthurai district}}{{Mayiladuthurai Topics}}
[[Category:Museums in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Mayiladuthurai district]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Mayiladuthurai district]]
[[Category:Maritime museums in India]]
[[Category:Museums in Mayiladuthurai]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Mayiladuthurai district]]

Marine Archaeological Museum, Poompuhar - Revision history

Krrissh: created data - done