Arikamedu, the ancient Roman trade centre is 4-km south of Pondicherry on the Right Bank of Ariyankuppam River. Arikamedu is of special importance in South Indian archaeology and it is best known for its stone bead production. It has a long history that dates back to the 2nd century BC. Excavations in the Arikamedu area have brought to light the remains of a trading port, which had connections with the Greco-Roman world more than a century before the down of the Christian Era.