Beads Making Factories

BEADS MAKING FACTORIES

1. Collecting Raw Materials

During the Sangam period, the people who lived in Kurinji land used precious ivory as tools to dig for gold. White digging for gold, they found the beads in old Tamilian's jewelry and ornaments. The following lyrics make this clear.

Proof: Agananooru 282:2-4

The Purananooru hymn below explains the hunter's wanderings in search of such beads.

Proof: Purananooru 202:1-3

2. Poozhiyar and Guttuwar

Poozhiyar

The following Pathirtuppathu song explains that the Poozhiyars from the Mullai region were the gatherers of the raw materials for the beads.

Proof: Pathirtuppaththu 21:20-23

Guttuwar

The following Kurunthogai song mentions that people named Guttuwar who lived in Guttanadu on the west coast were engaged in the work of arranging beads.

Proof: Kurunthogai 163:1-2

The Guttuwars had a prosperous life in the beads industry. Yavanas must have bought these beads.

Based on the above evidences, the raw materials of beads have been found in both the lands of Kurinchi and Mullai and factories have been set up in the Marutha land to produce various consumer goods. The news was that farmers have found beads while ploughing the land. The above evidence suggests that the makers were involved in the collection of raw materials for beads.

3. Beads Making Technology in the Sangam Period

Kuyinar

During the Sangam period, the Kuyinars are seen as bead piercers, tailors and bead embroiderers. They are also known as Kuyirtunars in Sangam literature.

Beads Making during the Sangam Period

During the Sangam period, the Tamilians used the raw materials of beads found in hilly and forest areas by hammering them into small lumps and breaking them into small pieces and chips. From them, the very small beads are separated as lumps. Many of such chips are classified as unusables due to their irregular shapes and weight. Beads are made from fine chips only in the required pattern setting.

Heating in a Pot

The beads made from rough chips are placed in a hot oven. The reason why the mouth of the pot is tightly sealed with 'Calcitney Stone', the raw material of the beads is to prevent the heat inside the pot from escaping through the gap in the mouth of the pot, resulting in a uniform colour within the pot. Sometimes many pots with beads are kept at the same time, in a line at low temperature.

Proof:

Furnaces used for making algae were found in the excavations by Rajan (An Archaeological perspective on the Sangam Period, P.59)

4. Beads Making in Modern Times

In modern times, the broken beads are rubbed with a circular wrench-like tool made of diamond. Then they rub lacquer with the help of a tool shaped like a stick made of iron. Then the beads broken into chips are kept and polished in a stone oven. Sometimes, unfinished beads are similarly placed in the oven for colour change. These are found in yellow and pink colours.

Proof: Kamakshi says that the different colours are given by the low heat. (Sanga period, Archaeological Lab P.117)

5. Connecting the Beads

Holes are placed to allow the coloured beads to be well rubbed and smoothed. Holes are made from both sides of the beads. As a result, in some beads, the holes on both sides are at different angles and do not meet straight.

Thus, those who choose the beads correctly are called 'Vannakan Kuyinar'; those who drill the beads are called 'Thirumanikkuyinar' and those who do the job of polishing the beads with lacquer are called 'Sirukarodar'.

Vannankkan

The word 'Vannakkan' is found in the names of many poets in Sangam literary hymns.

Proof:

i) Puthukkayaththu Vannakkan Kambur Kizhan (Nartinai.294)

ii) Vanakkan Peyan (Perunkathai)

iii) Vadamavannakkan Veri Saththanar (Kurunthogai 278)

The dictionary definitions of Vannakkan are bead cutter, bead carver, bead polisher and dyer.

Proof: Tamil Dictionary (P.573).

Vannákkan Kammar

Another section of them is called Vannakkan Kammar. According to Tholkapiya reference, they are painters.

The above evidence indicates the increase in the production of beads during the Sangam period and their development through domestic consumption.

6. Forms of Beads

Excavations have found numerous beads and coral stones in Tamil Nadu in cut, ready to drill and polished condition. Therefore, several evidences confirm that there must have been various bead making factories during the Sangam Period.

Evidence

1. Sand Excavation

On examining the beads found in sand, it seems that the beads must have been made in the following four forms.

1. Circular shape

2. Barrel shape

3. Biconic shape

4. Spherical shape

2. There are more bead making factories in Arikamedu. This area explains the process of cutting into small pieces, drilling, polishing and making conch jewellery.

7. Types of Beads

Sangam period evidences show that the following types of beads existed since beads of various types and colours were found in Arikamedu.

1. Sea blue green beads

2. Gomedakam

3. Redstone

4. Purple stone

5. Manickam

6. Sapphire

7. Marble

8. Crystal stone

8. Navamanis

i) Diamond

ii) Emerald

iii) Sapphire

iv) Sardenyx

v) Red Coral

vi) Ruby

vii) Pearl

viii) Topaz

ix) aiduriyam

These nine types of stones are navamanis.