The ongoing restoration of an 11th-century Later-Chola era temple in Perambalur, Tamil Nadu, has led to the discovery of several Copper-Alloy inscriptions embedded within the granite foundation blocks. These records provide a detailed account of the temple’s secondary role as a regional maritime treasury, used to store wealth generated from trade with Southeast Asian kingdoms.
The inscriptions mention the names of specific merchant guilds and the quantities of aromatic resins and gems donated to the deity. This find is crucial for historians, as it clarifies the economic interconnectedness of Chola religious institutions and their expanding naval influence during the medieval period. The copper plates are currently undergoing chemical cleaning to reveal more commercial details.