From The Past To The Present: A Brief Outline Of The Economic History Of Thoothukudi District

Thoothukudi is an important town in the state of Tamil Nadu. Historically it formed part of the Pearl Fishery Coast that attracted traders from all over the world. But even before the idea of Pearl fishing could evolve human existence and their economic activities were found in areas like Adichanallur which has emerged as a controversial archaeological site in the recent past. Some historians who researched in the mid-twentieth century were of the opinion that the first human species were found in this region. But subsequently with the finding of other evidence the credit was shifted. Moreover, the body of ancient Tamil literature called Sangam poems does not make any mention of Adichanallur although it seems to be the largest archaeological site so far excavated. But even here archaeological study has not been completely done and mysteries continue to exist. In the context of ‘neglect of Keezhadi,’ interested public have made appeals to carry out further archaeological research in the area. Notwithstanding all these, Thoothukudi has gone through various phases of economic life which the present article seeks to explore.