Keeladi Excavation Findings

Keeladi Findings Latest News

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has stated that the report on the Keeladi excavations, submitted by archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, is not yet “technically well-supported” and requires further scientific studies

About Keeladi Findings

• Location: Keeladi is a village in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, situated along the Vaigai River, about 12 km southeast of Madurai.
• Excavation History: Excavations began in 2015, initially led by the ASI and later by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology after a period of administrative dispute.
• Artefacts Unearthed: Over 18,000 artefacts have been discovered, including pottery, inscribed potsherds, gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell and ivory bangles, glass beads, spindle whorls, terracotta seals, and weaving tools.
• Pottery and Inscriptions: The site has yielded heaps of pottery and over 120 potsherds with Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, indicating the long survival of the script and literacy in the region.
• Urban Settlement: Findings suggest Keeladi was a well-planned urban settlement with evidence of industries such as pottery, weaving, dyeing, and bead-making.
• Trade and Lifestyle: Artefacts like agate and carnelian beads indicate trade networks, while items such as dice and hopscotch pieces reveal leisure activities.
• Chronology: The findings have pushed the Sangam Age in Tamil Nadu back to around 800 BCE, suggesting a much older and advanced civilization than previously thought.
• Link to Other Civilisations: Some symbols on Keeladi artefacts resemble those of the Indus Valley Civilization, though a cultural gap of about 1,000 years remains. Scholars hope further studies will clarify these connections.

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Sangam Age

• The Sangam Age, often referred to as the Tamil Sangam period, marks an important chapter in South Indian history.
• Named after the assembly of Tamil poets and scholars known as the Sangam, this era witnessed a rich cultural and literary flourishing in the southern regions of India.
• It is broadly estimated to have spanned from around 300 BCE to 300 CE.

Keeladi Findings FAQs

Q1. What did they find in Keezhadi?

Ans: Ancient urban settlement remains, including pottery, ornaments, tools, and Tamil-Brahmi inscribed potsherds.

Q2. What are the things found in Keezhadi?

Ans: Artefacts like pottery, gold and copper ornaments, beads, tools, figurines, coins, gamesmen, and inscribed potsherds.

Q3. What is the importance of the findings in Keezhadi?

Ans: They prove an advanced urban civilization with literacy, industry, and trade existed in Tamil Nadu during the Sangam age.

Q4. What names were found in Keezhadi?

Ans: Names in Tamil-Brahmi script, such as ‘Sathan Esiri Kathiran Ilabu’, were found inscribed on potsherds.

Source: TH