The beginning of 2025 marked a significant milestone in the history and archaeology of Tamil Nadu with the State government making two major announcements.
While inaugurating the three-day International Conference on the centenary of the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation in Chennai on January 5, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a $1 million prize for experts or organisations that succeed in deciphering the scripts of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
A couple of weeks later, on January 23, he released a report, ‘Antiquity of Iron: Recent radiometric dates from Tamil Nadu’ and announced: “The Iron Age began on Tamil soil. The antiquity of iron in the Tamil landscape dates back to the first quarter of the 4th millennium BCE.” Citing the carbon dating results, he said the usage of iron was prominent in south India over 5,300 years ago. These announcements have shifted the spotlight towards the findings of various excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) in Tamil Nadu over the years.
Sivagalai
The antiquity of iron in the Tamil landscape, dating back to the first quarter of the 4th millennium BCE, was based on samples drawn from archaeological excavations carried out here. The TNSDA excavated eight locations, including five habitation mounds and three burial sites, in and around Sivagalai, an Iron Age habitation-cum-burial site on the northern bank of Thamirabarani river in Thoothukudi district, between 2019 and 2022. The burial site called ‘Sivagalai-parambu’, spanning 500 acres, lies in the northwestern part of the village. Skeletal remains, iron objects and paddy grains were among the objects unearthed during the excavations. The paddy sample collected from an urn dated back to 1,155 BCE. Analysis of charcoal samples obtained from three trenches dated the antiquity of iron in Tamil landscape between 2,953 BCE and 3,345 BCE.
Adichanallur
Located on the northern bank of Thamirabarani river in Thoothukudi district, Adichanallur was first excavated by F. Jagor, a German Archaeologist, in 1876. It was subsequently excavated by British officer Alexander Rea between 1902 and 1904. Nearly 100 years later, ASI did an excavation in 2004-05. The ASI and TNSDA conducted excavations again between 2019 and 2023. These series of excavations yielded a wealth of materials, including gold diadems, metals, human remains such as bones, microlithic tools belonging to the Stone Age, female figurines, iron weapons and potsherds with Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions. The charcoal sample collected in association with iron objects found here in the habitation mound dated the usage of iron to mid of the 3rd millennium BCE.
Keeladi
A series of excavations by ASI and TNSDA at Keeladi, a hamlet in the Sivaganga district located 12 kilometers south-east of Madurai, since 2015, have proved that an urban civilisation existed in the ancient Tamil landscape on the banks of Vaigai river. K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, the then Superintending Archaeologist of ASI, discovered and oversaw the first two phases of excavations. Heaps of pottery unearthed here suggested the existence of a pottery-making industry that flourished using locally available raw materials. Hundreds of potsherds containing Tamil Brahmi inscriptions were found. Spindle whorls, copper needles, terracotta seals, hanging stones of the yarn, terracotta spheres and earthen vessels to hold liquid suggest various stages of a weaving industry. Gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell bangles, ivory bangles and ivory combs reflect the artistic, culturally prosperous lifestyle that existed in Keeladi.
Korkai
The materials unearthed during the excavations by TNSDA in the ancient port town of Korkai in Thoothukudi district in 1968-69 and in recent years had shed light on the long-established trade relations of ancient Tamil Nadu. On-shore excavations have been taken up since the late 1960s point to the existence of a shell bangle-making industry. Organic materials found during the excavations date back to 785 BCE. Several fully intact, many half-cut and numerous fully broken conch shells were also found showing evidence of manufacturing of ornaments. Black Slipped ware of Gangetic plains, nine-storeyed perforated filtering pipe, and a large pot placed in the centre of a brick structure were also unearthed.
Mayiladumparai
Mayiladumparai in Krishnagiri district is yet another significant site, besides Sivagalai, with respect to the antiquity of iron. Excavations by TNSDA here had placed the existence of the Iron Age in the Tamil landscape 4,200 years ago. Excavations yielded cultural items such as microlithic tools, neolithic celts, neolithic tool polishing grooves, rock paintings, Iron Age graves, Tamil-Brahmi inscribed potsherds, memorial stones and trade guild inscriptions covering the time-span from Microlithic times to late Medieval period. Some of the other materials unearthed include merchant guild inscriptions, Neolithic stone tools, and hero stones.
Gangaikondacholapuram
Located a few kilometres north of River Kollidam in Ariyalur district, excavations at Gangaikondacholapuram, the capital of the Cholas for about 250 years, were first carried out in the 1980s by the then TNSDA’s director R. Nagaswamy. It brought to light the hidden structures of a palace and the city that Rajendra Chola-I built after his victorious expedition up to the Gangetic plains. Remains of a palace were exposed at Maligaimedu (the mound of a palace), about two km away to the rear of the famous Brihadisvara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Subsequent excavations unearthed more such medieval-era mega brick structures, broken pieces of a bracelet made of gold and copper; and a figurine made of ivory.
Porpanaikottai
Situated about 6.5 km to the east of Pudukottai town, a Sangam-age fort is believed to have existed at Porpanaikottai where the TNSDA has been conducting excavations for the last couple of years manner. The unearthed materials at the site include hopscotches, glass beads and bangles, soapstone beads, crystal beads, iron nails, terracotta wheel, antimony rod, copper coins, rubbing stone, grinding stone, agate beads, spindle whorl, copper nails, carnelian beads, and terracotta earrings. A bone point probably used as a tool for weaving, a tiny broken piece of gold, glazed ware, porcelain potshard, black ware, red ware, perforated ware, torpedo jar and rouletted ware were also found during the excavations that were carried out at ‘Aranmanai Thidal’ and ‘Kottai Karai’.
Vembakottai
Located on the banks of the Vaippar river in Virudhunagar district, excavations at Vembakottai have unearthed terracotta, shell bangles, artefacts made of gold, pot shreds, carnelian and glass beads, shell and ivory bangles, hopscotches, and iron and copper objects. Last year, a carnelian intaglio showing a humped bull was found. It was the second such carnelian intaglio found in Tamil Nadu. Earlier a similar material showing a wild boar was found in Keeladi.
Kodumanal
Archaeological excavations at Kodumanal, lying on the northern banks of the Noyyal river about 15 km from Chennimalai in Erode district, revealed that the area flourished as an industrial and trading centre more than 2,000 years ago. Kodumanal was referred to as Kodumanam in Pathitrupathu of Sangam literature. It is believed that Kodumanal, lying on the ancient trade route connecting Karur, the capital of Cheras with Muziris, their ancient port town which is currently in Kerala, had a bustling industrial activity. Shell bangles, coins, potsherds inscribed with Tamil Brahmi scripts, precious stones, and beads made of carnelian, amethyst, and quartz were unearthed during the excavation carried out between 1985 and 2011. A menhir (standing stone) and a few megalithic burial sites were also found.
Pallavaram
Located close to Chennai city, Pallavaram, originally known as Pallavapuram, was one of the oldest inhabited places in the southern part of India, since the Paleolithic Age. More than 160 years ago, in 1863, geologist Robert Bruce Foote discovered a stone tool on the Parade Ground at Pallavaram cantonment. It was a hand-axe made of quartzite. Prehistoric man had crafted it to dig out tubers and roots from the soil, and to butcher animals and take out the meat. In the same year, he also found numerous stone tools, including hand axes, cleavers and flake tools at Attirampakkam, near the Kosasthalaiyar river, in Tiruvallur district. Since then, Pallavaram gained a historical significance. In 1888, British officer Alexander Rea for the first time unearthed a sarcophagus at a hillock in Pallavaram. Later in 2017, the ASI unearthed a six-foot-high terracotta sarcophagus believed to be more than 2,000 years old from the same locality.
Published – February 16, 2025 11:45 am IST