A planned town with brick architecture and, a proper layout. Urban centres have a larger population involved in non-agrarian, commercial and political occupations. Various industrial activities are seen in these towns.

Ptolemy's Geography is a Gazetteer and atlas of Roman times providing geographical details of the Roman Empire in the Second Century CE.

(i) The development of script marks the beginning of the historical period.
(ii) The period before the use, of written script is called prehistoric period.

As seafaring people, Tamil traders and sailors established commercial and cultural links across the seas and merchants from foreign territories also visited the Tamil region.

1. Agriculture was one of the main sources of subsistence.
2. Both wet and dry land farming were practiced.
3. In the riverine and tank-irrigated areas, paddy was cultivated.
4. Millets were cultivated in dry lands.

(i) The Tamil rulers were independent of Mauryan authority because Ashokan inscriptions found in present day Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are not seen in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
(ii) So we can conclude the status of Tamil rulers.

1. Excavations at Arikkamedu, Azhagankulam, Uraiyur, Kanchipuram, Kaveripoompattinam, Korkai, Vasavasamudram, Keezhadi, Kodumanal in Tamil Nadu, and Pattanam in Kerala provide the evidence we have of this period.
2. Archaeological excavations at the early historic sites are the source of evidence of the activities of the Sangam Age people.

(i) The Pamban coast is famous for pearl fishery.
(ii) Shell bangles were very common in the Sangam Age.
(iii) The Parathavers collected conch shells from the Pamban Island.
(iv) Sangam literature describes women wearing shell bangles.

(a) The presence of the non-Tamil sources reveals the extensive contacts and interactions of the early Tamil society with the outside world.
(b) Arthasastra the classic work of the Mauryan period makes a mention that the pearl and shells came from the Pandya country.
(c) Chronicle is a narrative text presenting the important historical events in chronological order.
(d) Pliny speaks about the pepper trade with India and he states that it took 40 days to reach India.

(i) The Sangam Age saw the first urbanization in Tamilagam.
(ii) Cities developed and they had brick buildings, roof tiles, ring wells and planned towns, streets, and store houses.
(iii) The towns worked as ports and artisanal centres. Arikkamedu, Kaveripoompattinam, Azhagankulam and Korkai on the east coast and Pattanam in Kerala were port centres. Kanchipuram, Uraiyur, Karur, Madurai and Kodumanal were inland trade centres.
(iv) Many goods and commodities were produced in these centres and were exported to various regions.
(v) Though few in number, large towns appeared in the Sangam Age.
(vi) Small villages however were found in many areas. Bronze vessels, beads, shell bangles, glass beads, pottery with names of people written in Tamil-Brahmi script were found at these sites.

1. Craft production and craft specialization were important aspects of urbanization.
2. In the Sangam Age there were professional groups that produced various commodities.
3. The system of production of commodities is called industry.
4. Pottery was practised in many settlements. People used pottery produced by kalam ceyks in their daily activities and so they were made in large numbers.
5. Black ware, russet-coated painted ware, black and red ware potteries were the different types of pottery used.
6. Iron manufacturing was an important artisanal activity. Iron smelting was undertaken in traditional furnaces.
7. Furnaces and raw ore have been found in many archaeological sites.
8. Sangam Age literature mentioned about the Iron manufacturing.
9. They produced Iron implements required for agriculture and warfare (sword, daggers and spears).