History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c37.s1.t2.4

v1.c37.s1.t2.4

Leather garments *Nina Cattai* (leather shirt) were worn. Footwear was known as *Thol adi* (leather sandal). In a place known as Athiraipakkam, 50 Km from Madras, found on excavation, the stone tools of Neolithic man used for scraping or setting skins and making holes. There are fleeting references in Sangam Tamil Classics which were brought out in the early century of Christian era They contain evidence to the prevalence of the customs of wearing sandals, garments and ‘Kavasam’. The word used in *Perum-ban-Arun-padai* to denote sandal is *Adipatai Aranam* (sandal ware). *Cilappathikaram* refers shoemakers as *Thol Thunnuner* (skin sticher).