Archaeologists and botanists have deciphered a rare 7th-century Grantha script manuscript discovered during excavations on the Coromandel Coast. The text provides a systematic classification of tropical hardwoods and detailed chemical protocols for timber preservation intended for deep-sea maritime vessels.
The manuscript, titled Nauka-Daru-Rakshana, describes the use of specific resin distillates and mineral pastes to prevent marine borer infestation. This discovery explains the remarkable longevity of ancient Indian merchant ships mentioned in Roman and Persian records, providing scientific evidence for the advanced materials science that underpinned the Chola and Pallava maritime expansions.