பழந்தமிழ் நாட்டில் பண்டமாற்று முறை வணிகம் / Barter System of Trade in Ancient Tamil Nadu

Abstract

The ancient Tamil people classified the lands where they lived into five categories according to their characteristics and nature. They named the mountain region 'Kurinji', the forest region as 'Mullai', the field region as 'Marutham', the sea region as 'Neithal' and the desert region as 'Palai'. Apart from the desert region, the other four regions are endowed with natural resources to carry out business activities. It can be known through Sangam's literary songs that the ancient Tamil people have been making use of these natural resources properly. In each land area, each type of activity was carried out and each type of product was produced. In some lands, products are available naturally without human efforts. Products of land were not grown in other lands because of the land's characteristic nature. Therefore, the Tamil people of that time, who wanted to use the products of all the lands, exchanged one land product with another land product. Elephant, Elephant’s Ivory, Honey, Tuber from Hill areas, Deer, Venison, Buffalo, Cow, Beef, Milk, Curd, Buttermilk from Forest areas, Paddy, Cereals, Sugarcane from Field areas, Pearl, Salt, and Fish from Coastal areas were used as exchange products in a domestic barter system of trade. This act led to the emergence of the trading process of trade known as barter and later on currencies emerged as a medium of exchange used for a trading process. Several songs from the Eight Anthologies (Ettuthokai) & Ten Idylls (Pattupattu) which are known as Sangam Literature implies the barter system of trade, things used in barter trade and the role of men and women in this trade. Thus, this article delineates and compares these evidences with the statements of Tamil scholars regarding barter trade in a detailed way.

Keywords

• sangam literatures
• barter trade
• trade
• ancient tamil nadu.