Nelkynda
The Periplus (§54) stated that ‘Nelcynda is distant from Muziris by river and sea about five hundred stadia [50 miles], and is of another Kingdom, the Pandian. This place also is situated on a river, about one hundred and twenty stadia from the sea [i.e.
about 12 miles upstream].’ As with Muziris, the present position of Nelkynda is uncertain; candidate towns include Kollam, Nakkada, Neendakara, Kannetri, with Kollam (formerly Quilon) favoured by many on account of its long history as a seaport – it had prominence during the Pandyan dynasty (which controlled much of the extreme south of India and Sri Lanka in one form or another from the third century BCE to the fourteenth century CE). Kottayam or nearby Niranam are also possibilities, with Porakad possibly being the ancient coastal Bacare (see below). The problem of identification is compounded by changes in the coastline and inland waterways over the last two millennia. The different possibilities were discussed by Schoff, Ajit Kumar and others.97Further detail about Nelkynda from the Periplus (§55) – large vessels were unable to sail upriver to the port and their cargoes had to be transferred upstream on smaller vessels:
There is another place at the mouth of this river, the village of Bacare; to which ships drop down on the outward voyage from Nelcynda, and anchor in the roadstead to take on their cargoes; because the river is full of shoals and the channels are not clear. The kings of both these market-towns live in the interior. And as a sign to those approaching these places from the sea there are serpents coming forth to meet you, black in color, but shorter, like snakes in the head, and with blood-red eyes.
Supporting evidence for Niranam/Porakad is derived from amphorae sherds found in the vicinity on the banks of the Pamba at Niranam. By the time of Ptolemy’s description of Nelkynda and Bacare (second century CE), the towns were then in Aya and Chera hands and their trading status appears to have diminished. The inability of cargo ships to reach Nelkynda from Bacare may have been due to silting up of the river, and reference to Nelkynda is absent in later medieval seafaring accounts.
McLaughlin referred to the ancient Tamil poem Maturaikkanci, describing the resplendent coastal city and large ships arriving bearing gold. The pepper was loaded up at the coastal port of Bacare, as mentioned in the Periplus. As well as exporting black pepper, Nelkynda was also a centre for the marketing and export of local pearls, much valued by Roman society.