Page 29 - history_Classical

BRIEF INRTODUCTION ABOUT KOLLAM

Since the ancient times, city of Kollam has played some major roles in the business, economical,
cultural, religious and political history of Asia and Indain sub continent. The Malayalam calendar is
also known so with the name of the city Kollam. The city is mentioned in historical citations dating
back to Biblical times and the reign of King Solomon, connecting with Red Sea ports of the Arabian
Sea.The teak wood used in building King Solomon's throne was taken from Quilon. Merchants
from Phoenicia, China, Arab countries, Dutch and the Romae used to visit and trade from Quilon in
the ancient times.

BASIC HISTORY

An ancient trading town – trading
with Romans, Chinese, Arabs and
other Orientals – with historical
citations of trade dating back to
Biblical history to Red Sea ports of
the Arabian Sea and the reign of
Solomon (supported with a find of
ancient Roman coins). Internal trade
occurred through the Punalur Pass
connecting the ancient town to
Tamil Nadu. The overland trade by
bullock cart of its produce pepper and the trade over the waterways connecting Allepey and Cochin
ensured trade linakges that grew into shaping it as a
town playing host to one of the earliest industrial
townships. The rail links established to Tamil Nadu
supported firmer trade links. The marine exports
processing factories and the processing and
packaging of cashewnuts took the produce of these
shores across the globe.

Kollam was a flourishing port of the Chera Dynasty
until the formation of the Venad kingdom, when it
became the capital of the independent Venad
kingdom. Before that, Kollam was considered one of
the four early entrepots in the global sea trade
around the 13th century, along with Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt, the Chinese city of Quanzhou,
and Malacca in the Malaysian archipelago