The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology has excavated about 1,500 artefacts at Pattinamarudhur, a site near the Thoothukudi coast. The finds include ancient coins, pieces of porcelain pottery, shell ornaments and figurines. Experts think Pattinamarudhur was an important coastal trading centre, comparable to Korkai, the ancient port of the Early Pandyas. Korkai was well known in the Sangam Age for pearl fishing and for trade with the Roman Empire and the Far East. The discoveries reveal several cultural phases at the site and active maritime trade in ancient times.