Archaeological surveys in the coastal town of Kannur have uncovered the ruins of a 9th-century maritime temple built during the Chera Perumal era. The discovery is significant for its foundation technology, which utilizes a combination of water-resistant teak logs and oxidized iron clamps to stabilize the structure in the sandy, saline environment. This is the first recorded instance of such advanced hybrid materials being used in early medieval Kerala temple construction.
The shrine appears to have been dedicated to a protective deity favored by maritime guilds. Among the finds are stone carvings depicting long-distance trade ships and foreign sailors, underscoring the importance of the Arabian Sea trade routes. Conservationists are now working to stabilize the organic materials found in the waterlogged soil to prevent rapid decay following their exposure to air.