Alternative name | ஆதிச்சநல்லூர் |
---|---|
Location | Thoothukudi, India |
Coordinates | 8°44′N77°42′E / 8.73°N 77.7°E |
Type | Settlement |
History | |
Founded | 905 BC–696 BC |
Cultures | Ancient Tamils |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | 1876–present |
Adichanallur is an archaeological site in Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, India that has been the site of a number of very important archaeological finds. Korkai, the capital of the Early Pandyan Kingdom, is located about 15 km from Adichanallur. Carbon dating of samples excavated in 2004 from the Adichanallur site has revealed that they belonged to the period between 1000 BC and 600 BC. [1] [2] In 2005, around 169 clay urns containing human skeletons were unearthed that date back to at-least 3,800 years. [3] In 2018, research on copper metal remains remains were dated at Manipur University to 1500 BC (+ or - 700 years). But dating was not accepted as accurate. [4] [5]
In 2004, a number of skeletons were found buried in earthenware urns. Some of these urns contained writing in Tamili (Tamil-Brahmi) script.
On March 18, 2019, the report of artifact samples sent to Beta Analytic Testing Laboratory, USA for carbon dating was obtained. The results were submitted to the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on April 4, 2019. Carbon dating of samples excavated from the Adichanallur site in Thoothukudi district has revealed that they belonged to the period between 905 BC to 696 BC. A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. S. Sundar observed that this proved Adichanallur was one of the earliest ancient sites in Tamil Nadu. The court had expressed its displeasure that the artifacts, first excavated in 2004-06 under the supervision of the then Superintending Archaeologist T. Satyamurthy, were not sent for carbon dating for over 15 years. “In spite of many efforts taken by intellectuals, historians, political leaders and archaeologists, nothing was done by the ASI, for reasons best known to them, to send the Adichanallur samples for carbon dating,” the court said. The court had earlier directed the ASI to fence the whole site that is spread across 114 acres and put up a police outpost to prevent any damage. With Sathyabama Badrinath, former Regional Director (South), ASI, currently with the Delhi circle, nominated for preparing the report, the court said that the reports of T. Satyamurthy could also be added in achieving a comprehensive report [1]
![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(October 2019) |
Adichanallur first gained attention in the year 1876 when a team of three eminent people visited it. The team consisted of the then Collector of Tirunelvely district, district engineer and an Ethnologist from Germany called Dr. Jagor. The team started excavating in one side of a mound and discovered many earthen pots that were of superior quality than the ones being sold at the bazaars of the late 19th Century. Also found were baked earthenware utensils, a number of iron weapons and implements (mainly knives, short sword blades and hatchets) and a huge number of bones and skulls.[ citation needed ]
Alexander Rea, a former Superintendent from Southern Circle Archaeological Survey of India pointed out that all these artifacts were taken away by Dr. Jagor for the Berlin Museum für Völkerkunde, currently called as Ethnological Museum of Berlin. Alexander Rea himself had done a detailed investigation of the sites during the period between 1899 and 1905, when he was able to find a large number of artifacts similar to Dr. Jagor.[ citation needed ]
All the artifacts that Rea found was promptly cataloged and documented in his 1915 book titled "Catalog of the Prehistoric Antiquities from Adichanallur and Perambair". It is surprising to note that although the catalog consisted of huge amounts of bronze, iron, gold and earthen artifacts combined, the present day excavations yielded mainly earthen wares only. All of Rea's artifacts are supposedly present in India.[ citation needed ]
On August 5, 2023, Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for a museum in Adichanallur. Upon completion, this will be one of the first on-site museums in India. [6]
Rakhigarhi or Rakhi Garhi is a village and an archaeological site belonging to the Indus Valley civilisation in Hisar District of the northern Indian state of Haryana, situated about 150 km northwest of Delhi. It was part of the mature phase of the Indus Valley Civilisation, dating to 2600-1900 BCE. It was among the largest settlements of the ancient civilisation, though most of it remains unexcavated. The site is located in the Ghaggar River plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river. Initial excavations at the site happened in the 1960s, followed by further excavations in the late 1990s, however more sustained excavations have taken place in the past decade.
Muchiri, commonly anglicized as Muziris was an ancient harbour and an urban centre on the Malabar Coast. Muziris found mention in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, the bardic Tamil poems and a number of classical sources. It was the major ancient port city of Cheras. Core of the city situated in the present day Kodungallur, North Paravoor area. The exact location of Muziris has been a matter of dispute among historians and archaeologists. However, excavations since 2004 at Pattanam, near North Paravur, have led some experts to suggesting the hypothesis that the city was located just there. It was an important trading port for Christian and Muslim merchants arriving from other countries.
The Sangam period or age, particularly referring to the third Sangam period, is the period of the history of ancient Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and parts of Sri Lanka dating back to c.6th century BCE. It was named after the legendary Sangam academies of poets and scholars centered in the city of Madurai which are believed to be mythical.
The South Asian Stone Age covers the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in the Indian subcontinent. Evidence for the most ancient Homo sapiens in South Asia has been found in the cave sites of Cudappah of India, Batadombalena and Belilena in Sri Lanka. In Mehrgarh, in what is today western Pakistan, the Neolithic began c. 7000 BCE and lasted until 3300 BCE and the first beginnings of the Bronze Age. In South India, the Mesolithic lasted until 3000 BCE, and the Neolithic until 1400 BCE, followed by a Megalithic transitional period mostly skipping the Bronze Age. The Iron Age in India began roughly simultaneously in North and South India, around c. 1200 to 1000 BCE.
Pattanam is a village located in the Ernakulam District in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is located 2 km north of North Paravur, 6 km and East of Chendamangalam 25 km north of Kochi (Cochin).
Tamil-Brahmi, also known as Tamili or Damili, was a variant of the Brahmi script in southern India. It was used to write inscriptions in the early form of Old Tamil. The Tamil-Brahmi script has been paleographically and stratigraphically dated between the third century BCE and the first century CE, and it constitutes the earliest known writing system evidenced in many parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Sri Lanka. Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found on cave entrances, stone beds, potsherds, jar burials, coins, seals, and rings.
Korkai is a small village in the Srivaikuntam taluk of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, India. It was called Pandya-Kavada in the Kapatapuram in Kalithogai. It is situated about 3 km north of the Thamirabarani River and about 6 km from the shore of Bay of Bengal.
Sembiyankandiyur is an archaeological site in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu, India.
The Bhattiprolu script is a variant of the Brahmi script which has been found in old inscriptions at Bhattiprolu, a small village in the erstwhile Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located in the fertile Krishna river delta and the estuary region where the river meets the Bay of Bengal.
Mathilakam is a village in Kodungallur taluk, Thrissur district in Kerala, South India. It is located around 5 miles north of Kodungallur on National Highway 66.
Keezhadi, also spelt Keeladi, is a village near the village of Silaiman, on the border between Madurai and Sivagangai districts, in Tamil Nadu, India. The Keezhadi excavation site is located in this area: excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department (TNAD) have revealed a Sangam era settlement dated to the 6th century BCE by radiocarbon dating. Claims that the results show that there was writing at that time have been challenged. It is not clear whether the potsherds containing inscriptions were found in the same archaeological layer as the 6th century samples, and University of Calcutta archaeologist Bishnupriya Basak said that "This unfortunately is not clear from the report and is very crucial", adding that the issues of "layer, period and absolute dates" needed clarity. Dravidian University archaeologist E. Harsha Vardhan said that a single report was not enough to "state scientifically that the Tamil-Brahmi script belongs to the sixth century BC".
Kodumanal is a village located in the Erode district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was once a flourishing ancient trade city known as Kodumanam, as inscribed in Patittrupathu of Sangam Literature. The place is an important archaeological site, under the control of State Archaeological Department of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the northern banks of Noyyal River, a tributary of the Cauvery.
The Murugan Temple at Saluvankuppam, Tamil Nadu, India, is a shrine dedicated to Tamil Hindu deity Murugan. Archaeologists believe that the shrine, unearthed in 2005, consists of two layers: a brick temple constructed during the Sangam period and a granite Pallava temple dating from the 8th century CE and constructed on top of the brick shrine making it the oldest temple in india. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team which conducted the excavation believe that brick temple could be the oldest of its kind to be discovered in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu is known for its ancient temple architecture. Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 2000 years old, are found scattered all over Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 38,615 temples. Most of the largest Hindu Temples reside here. Studded with complex architecture, a variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.
Megalithic markings, megalithic graffiti marks, megalithic symbols or non-Brahmi symbols are markings found on mostly potsherds found in Central India, South India and Sri Lanka during the Megalithic Iron Age in India. A number of scholars have tried to decipher the symbols since 1878, and currently there is no consensus as to whether they constitute undeciphered writing or graffiti or symbols without any syllabic or alphabetic meaning.
Alagankulam is a village situated on the east coast in the Ramanathapuram taluk and district in India. The village is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River and is about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from the seashore. The village is located 18 kilometres (11 mi) east of Ramanathapuram. The village had a population of 15,473 at the 2011 census.
Keezhadi is a Sangam period settlement and large-scale excavation being carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology. This site is located 12 km southeast of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, near the town of Keezhadi, Sivaganga district. The settlement lies on the bank of the Vaigai River and it reflects the ancient culture of Tamil Nadu. Epigraphist V. Vedachalam, who served as a domain expert for the excavation, dated the excavated remains between 6th century BCE and 3rd century CE.
This is a list of archaeological artefacts and epigraphs which have Tamil inscriptions. Of the approximately 100,000 inscriptions found by the Archaeological Survey of India in India, about 60,000 were in Tamil Nadu
K. Amarnath Ramakrishna is an Indian archaeologist. He is noted for his research into the Keeladi excavation site, a Sangam period settlement in Tamil Nadu. Ramakrishna also worked in Kondapur and Nagarjunakonda museums.
Archaeology in Tamil Nadu is mainly done under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India and Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology. As of 2023, excavations have been done at 40 sites and 36 reports have been issued.