[2] The inhabitants of this destroyed ancient city of Chera dynasty were highly skilled craftsmen, who were specialized in making beads and high-quality iron.

The place is referred to in Sangam literature as an important industrial centre that had links with the Chola port city of Kaveripoompattinam, now called Poompuhar.

[citation needed] The city played a major role in Indo-Roman trade and relations, as the ancient city is located on the mid-way of a Roman trade route, linking Muziris port on the Malabar Coast with the Kaveripoompattinam (Puhar) Port in the Coromandel Coast.

The excavated sword bit contained spheroidal graphite phase and forge welding of high-carbon cutting edge.

[8] They also produced Roman artefacts, iron melting furnaces, beads, shell bangles and pottery with the Tamizhi scripts (from the habitation deposits and burials).