Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s21.t1.13

c23.s21.t1.13

A terracotta seal in the State Archaeological Museum at Dharmapuri ³ has the legend *pā rā ta ṉa* (*parataṉ*), 'a member of the clan of Paratar or Paratavar', an ancient community of fishermen and traders principally in pearls, chank and salt, inhabiting the coastal villages especially in the southern region of the Tamil country.⁴