Korkai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Korkai
Vazhavallan
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Village
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 Korkai
Location in Tamil Nadu
Korkai
Location in India
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| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Thoothukudi |
| Area rank | 5M x 10M. |
| Population | |
| • Total | 3,986 |
| Tamil | |
| • Agriculturists | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Nearest Village | Vazhavallan |
Korkai is a small village in the Srivaikuntam taluk of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, India. Long ago, it was known by another name, Pandya-Kavada. It is located about 3 kilometers north of the Thamirabarani River. It is also about 6 kilometers from the shore of the Bay of Bengal.
Contents
Korkai: An Ancient Port City
Korkai was once a very important place! It was the capital city, a major trading hub, and a busy port for the Early Pandyan Kingdom. Back then, it sat right on the banks of the Thamirabarani River and next to the sea. This made it a perfect natural harbor for ships.
The Shifting Sea
Over about 2000 years, the sea has moved back about 6 kilometers. This happened because of too much sand and mud building up. So today, Korkai is much further inland, away from the coast. The Thamirabarani River has also changed its path. It used to flow near Korkai and meet the sea closer to Thoothukudi. Now, Korkai is 3 kilometers north of the river.
Pearl Fishing Center
In ancient times, Korkai was super famous for its pearl fishing. People wrote about it a lot in old Tamil writings called Sangam literature. Even ancient Greek and Roman writers mentioned it. For example, Ptolemy called it Kolkhai and said it was a big trading center. The Periplus also said that the Pandyan kingdom, including Korkai, was known for its pearl fisheries.
Ancient Discoveries at Korkai
Archaeologists first identified Korkai correctly in 1838. They found many interesting things there. They discovered large burial urns, which are big pots used to bury people long ago. These findings show that many people lived in Korkai during ancient times.
Dating the Past
Scientists used carbon dating on items found at Korkai. This showed that some artifacts are from as far back as 785 BC. They also found old pottery, some black and red, with ancient Tamil Brahmi writing on it. These writings and drawings of the sun, fish, and bows are from between 3rd century BC and 2nd century AD.
Trade Connections
Archaeologists also found Roman pottery and other special types of pottery. This tells us that Korkai had trade links with places far away. They even found ruins of factories where people cut shells and opened pearl oysters. This proves that Korkai was a busy center for the pearl trade.
The Vanni Tree
There is a very old 'Vanni' tree in Korkai. It is believed to be 2000 years old! This tree has seen centuries of history unfold in this ancient village.
