Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s23.t4.9

c23.s23.t4.9

Karuvūr is mentioned as the capital of Peruñcēral Irumporai. Though the name Karuvūr occurs only once in the body of the Caṅkam poetry,² 11 poets of the Caṅkam Age are known to have hailed from this city. The city was known as Vañci in Caṅkam literature. The commentators clearly identify Vañci with Karuvūr. The long debate on the correctness of identifying Karuvūr with Vañci has now become academic after the discovery of the Irumporai inscriptions at Pugalur (Nos. *61 & 62*, ca. 2nd century A.D.), and of enormous quantities of Cēra coins from the Amaravathi riverbed at Karur. Hundreds of square copper coins with the Cēra insignia of bow and arrow have been picked up from the riverbed in recent years. The numismatic finds range from the earliest copper coins without inscriptions in ca. 2nd century B.C. to the latest inscribed silver portrait coins in ca. 3rd century A.D.³