maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

The Labbai and Marakkayar fishermen also had good knowledge in astronomical datas,
weather conditions, and oceanography, like those who were engaged in high sea fishing. The
knowledge on these maritime subjects have been handed down to generations bytmdluonverbalfy
and they are being followed and practised ewn to this day in the coastal villages of Tad Nadu. The past
glory of this maritime community is seen only in such vanishing vestiges199.
SHlP AND BOAT BUILDING
The talent of the ancient Tamils in sea craft and navigational technologies are attested by the
occurance of many terms about sea, crafts and trading activities in the Sangam Tamil classics and in the
later Tamil literary works. We find about twenty terms for valious kinds of ships and boat ad also names
of the parts of the vessels and the building techniqueszo0.
The vessels were built in vatious sizes and shapes. Their length varied from 10 feet to 176 feet.
For example the front face of the vessel by name arnpi was in the shape of elephant or buffalo or lion
somiothers were built in the shape of peacock, allegator, surpent and tiger. Vessels like navoy,vanknm
and Mam were used for overseas and long distance voyages and trade. Toni, otam, pataku and similar
vessels were in use for short distance and coastal voyages and tradeZ0'.
The boat builders followed astrological and astronomical data for favourable time for boat building.
The timber used in boat building were Vembu, Neem, Iiuppai, Punnai, Naval, Situtekku. Sirunangu. h i,
Kongu, Kanunandu, teak and venteak. The ships were propelled by wind and had sails for this purpose.
The ship after completion set on sail in an auspicious timezoZ. The use of iron was said to be taboo in
Wpatam, the sanskrit text on seacraft technology. It was the tradition to build boats by hull of planks
joined together by ropes and wooden pegs203.
The Arab ships appeared in the Indian waters as early as second century A.D. The
Persian and Arab ships were also built of wooden plank held together with coir ropes, They
Were capaclous and lightly built and swift before the wind, but were not really able to