Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Use of Geospatial Techniques in Maritime Archaeology with Reference to the Tamil Nadu Coast


Affiliations
1 CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
 

Geospatial analysis of shoreline changes at a particular place includes topographic sheets, satellite imageries and field data. The remains of maritime activities along the Indian coast have been traced dating back to the 4th millennium BCE. Subsequently, due to shoreline changes, many past habitations have been submerged in the sea or located far in the hinterland. Archaeological sites play a major role in determining palaeo-shoreline. The present article discusses the use of geospatial techniques in determining ancient coastal habitations along the Tamil Nadu region of the Indian coast.

Keywords

Archaeological Sites, Coastal Habitation, Geospatial Analysis, Satellite Imageries, Shoreline Changes.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Gaur, A. S., Vora, K. H., Sundaresh, Mani Murali, R. and Jayakumar, S., Was the Rann of Kachchh navigable during the Harappan times (Mid-Holocene)? An archaeological perspective. Curr. Sci., 2013, 105(11), 1485–1491.
  • Sundaresh, Gaur, A. S. and Nair, R. R., Our threatened archaeological heritage: a case study from Tamil Nadu coast. Curr. Sci., 1997, 73(7), 593–598.
  • Gaur, A. S. and Vora, K. H., Ancient shorelines of Gujarat, India, during the Indus civilization (Late Mid-Holocene): a study based on archaeological evidences. Curr. Sci., 1999, 77(1), 180–185.
  • Sundaresh and Gaur, A. S., Marine archaeological investigations along the Tamil Nadu coast and their implications for understanding cultural expansion to southeast Asian countries. In Conference Proceedings, Early Interactions between South and Southeast Asia: Reflections on Cross-Cultural Exchange (eds Manguin, P. Y., Mani, A. and Wade, G.), Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore (co-published by Manohar Publications and Distributions, New Delhi), 2011, pp. 221–239.
  • Mittre, V. and Savithri, R., Setaria in the ancient plant economy of India. Palaeobotanist, 1978, 25, 559–562.
  • Schoff, W. H., The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean, Oriental Book, Delhi, 1974.
  • Ramaswami, N. S., 2000 Years of Mamallapuram, New Delhi Publication, New Delhi, 1989, pp. 372.
  • Sundaresh, Mani Murali, R., Jaya Kumar, S. and Gaur, A. S., Shoreline changes along Tamil Nadu coast: a study based on archaeological and coastal dynamics perspective. Indian J. Geo-Mar. Sci., 2014, 43(7), 1167–1176.
  • Dayalan, D., Punjeri – a Pallava sea port near Mamallapuram. In Seminar on Marine Archaeology (ed. Kashinathan, N.), State Department of Archaeology, Madras, 1992, pp. 52–56.
  • Sundaresh, Gaur, A.S.; Tripati, S. and Vora, K. H., Underwater investigations off Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Curr. Sci., 2004, 86(9), 1231–1237.
  • Rajani, M. B. and Kasturirangan, K., Sea level changes and its impact on coastal archaeological monuments: seven pagodas of Mahabalipuram, a case study. J. Indian Soc. Remote Sensing, 2013, 41(2), 461–468.
  • Rao, S. R., Progress and Prospects of Marine Archaeology in India, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, 1987.
  • Athiyaman, N., Two wharves at Poompuhar: a technical study. In Paper presented at the Second International Conference on Marine Archaeology of Indian Ocean Countries, Thane, 8–10 January 1999.
  • Vora, K. H., A note on the geophysical explorations for marine archaeology of Tamil Nadu coast, India. Int. J. Naut. Archaeol., 1981, 16(1), 159–164.
  • Rao, T. C. S., Marine geophysical surveys off Kaveripattinam for archaeological investigations. In Seminar on Marine Archaeology (ed. Kashinathan, N.), State Department of Archaeology, Madras, 1992, pp. 17–22.
  • Rao, T. C. S., Marine archaeological surveys off Kaveripattinam for archaeological investigation. J. Mar. Archaeol., 1991, 2, 21–31.
  • NIO, Marine archaeological explorations in Poompuhar waters, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, Technical Report, No. NIO/SP/13/95, 1995, p. 34.
  • NIO, Marine archaeological explorations in Poompuhar waters, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, Technical Report, No. NIO/SP/13/97, 1997, p. 37.
  • Nagaswami. R., Taragampadi, State Department of Archaeology, Madras, 1987.
  • Sundaresh, Jayakumar, S. and Sanil Kumar, V., Shoreline changes along the Poompuhar Tranquebar region. In Glimpses of Marine Archaeology in India. Proceedings of the Seventh Conference on Marine Archaeology of Indian Ocean Countries (eds Gaur, A. S. and Vora, K. H.), Society for Marine Archaeology, NIO, Dona Paula, Goa, 2006, pp. 100–106.
  • Rao, S. R., Rao, T. C. S., Gaur, A. S., Tripati S., Sundaresh and Gudigar, P., Underwater explorations off Poompuhar. J. Mar. Archaeol., 1995–96, 5–6, 7–22.
  • Sundaresh and Gaur, A. S., Marine archaeological investigations on Tamil Nadu coast, India: an overview. In Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings (eds Staniforth, M. et al.), Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Manila, 2011, pp. 233–248.
  • Gaur A. S. and Sundaresh, Onshore and near shore explorations along the southern Tamil Nadu coast; with a view to locating ancient ports and submerged sites. In ‘Mahasenasiri’: Riches of Indian Archaeology and Cultural Studies (Felicitation Volume of Dr. I. K. Sarma), Delhi, 2006, pp. 122–130.
  • McCrindle, J. W., Ancient India as Described by Ptolemy, Reprinted in 1985, Today’s and Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, New Delhi, 1885.
  • McCrindle, J. W., The Commerce and Navigation at the Periplus of Erythrean Sea, Reprinted in 1987, Thacker, Spink and Company, 1879.
  • ASI, Indian Archaeology – A Review, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, 1968–69.
  • Theenadhayalan, G., Kanmani, V. and Baskaran, R., Dynamics of beach morphology of Tamil Nadu coast, India, using geospatial technology. In Fourth Session of the IAG Working Group on Geomorphological Hazards (IAGEOMHAZ) and International Workshop on Geomorphological Hazards, Kanyakumari, 21–23 July 2010, p. 69.
  • Bird, E. C. F., Coasts – An Introduction to Costal Geomorphology, Basil Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 1984, 3rd edn, p. 320.
  • Caldwell M. J., Coastal process and beach erosion. J. Soc. Civ. Eng., 1996, 53(2), 142–157.
  • Mohan Rao, K., Rajamanickam, G. V. and Rao, T. C. S., Holocene marine transgression as interpreted from bathymetry and sand grain size parameters off Gopalpur. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., 1989, 98, 59–67.
  • Mohan Rao, K. et al., Submerged beach ridge lineation and associated sedentary fauna in the innershelf of Gopalpur coast, Orissa, Bay of Bengal. Curr. Sci., 2001, 81(7), 827–833.
  • Mohan Rao, K. and Rao, T. C. S., Holocene sea level of Visakhapattanam shelf, east coast of India. J. Geol. Soc. India, 1994, 44, 685–689.
  • Srinivasa Rao, P., Krishna Rao, G., Durgaprasada Rao, N. V. N. and Swamy, A. S. R., Sedimentation and sea level variations in Nizamapatnam Bay, east coast of India. Indian J. Mar. Sci., 1990, 19, 261–264.
  • Banerjee, A. and Sengupta, R., Evidences of law stands on the contionental shelf of east coast of India. In Recent Geoscintific Studies in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, Special Publication of the Geological Survey of India, Pub. No. 29, 1992, pp. 163–170.
  • Krishnan, M. S., Geology of India and Burma, Higginbothams, Madras, 1968.
  • Suresh P. K., Panneerselvam D., Jayapalan, M. and Nagaraj, G., Shoreline changes along the Poompuhar and Tranquebar coasts of Tamil Nadu. In Proceedings of the Indian National Conference on Harbour and Ocean Engineering, Goa, 2004.
  • Usha, N. and Subramanian, S. P., Seasonal shoreline oscillation of Tamil Nadu coast. Curr. Sci., 1993, 65, 667–668.
  • Ramaiyan, M., Krishna Prasad, E. and Suresh, P. K., Shoreline oscillation of Tamil Nadu coast. In Proceedings of the Second Indian National Conference on Harbour and Ocean Engineering (INCHOE-97), Thiruvananthapuram, 7–10 December 1997, pp. 1176–1181.
  • Kaliasundaram, G., Govindasamy, S. and Ganesan, R., Coastal erosions and accretions (in Tamil Nadu State, India). In Coastal Zone Management (eds Natarajan, R., Dwivedi, S. N. and Ramachandran, S.), Chennai Ocean Data Centre, Anna University, 1991, pp. 73–82.
  • Qasim, S. Z., The India Ocean: Images and Realities, Oxford IBH, New Delhi, 1999, p. 340.
  • Merh, S. S., Quaternary sea level changes: the present status vis a vis record along coast of India. Indian J. Earth Sci., 1987, 14(3–4), 235–251.
  • Banerjee, P. K., Holocene and late Pleistoene relative sea level fluctuations along the east coast of India. Mar. Geol., 2000, 167, 243–260.
  • Mohapatra, S. P. and Hari Prasad, M., Shoreline changes and their impact on the archaeological structures at Mahabalipuram. Gondwana Geol. Magazine Special, 1999, 4, 225–233.
  • Subramanyam, K. S. and Selvan, T. A., Geology of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Geological Society of India, Bangalore, 2001.
  • Murthy, K. S. R., Venkataswarulu, K. and Rao, T. C. S., Basement structures beneath the inner shelf off Mahabalipuram to Palar River, east coast of India. Indian J. Mar. Sc., 1995, 24(2), 223–224.

Abstract Views: 446

PDF Views: 143




  • Use of Geospatial Techniques in Maritime Archaeology with Reference to the Tamil Nadu Coast

Abstract Views: 446  |  PDF Views: 143

Authors

Sundaresh
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
R. Mani Murali
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
A. S. Gaur
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India
M. Dhivya Sri
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004, India

Abstract


Geospatial analysis of shoreline changes at a particular place includes topographic sheets, satellite imageries and field data. The remains of maritime activities along the Indian coast have been traced dating back to the 4th millennium BCE. Subsequently, due to shoreline changes, many past habitations have been submerged in the sea or located far in the hinterland. Archaeological sites play a major role in determining palaeo-shoreline. The present article discusses the use of geospatial techniques in determining ancient coastal habitations along the Tamil Nadu region of the Indian coast.

Keywords


Archaeological Sites, Coastal Habitation, Geospatial Analysis, Satellite Imageries, Shoreline Changes.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv113%2Fi10%2F1891-1898