Archaeology in Tamil Nadu

Last updated

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. [1]

The excavated sites are as follows.

Excavations [1]
S.NoPLACE OF EXCAVATIONDISTRICTYEAR
1 Korkai [2] Tuticorin 1968 – 1969
2 Panchalankurichi Tuticorin 1968 – 1969
3 Vasavasamudram Kanchipuram1969 – 1970
4 Anaimalai [3] Coimbatore 1969 – 1970
5 Pallavamedu Kanchipuram 1970 – 1971
6 Karur [4] Karur 1973 – 1979, 1994 – 1995
7 Panayakulam [5] Dharmapuri 1979 – 1980
8 Booluvampatti [6] |Boluvampatti Coimbatore 1979 – 1980, 1980 – 1981
9 Kovalanpottal Madurai 1980 – 1981
10 Thondi Ramanathapuram 1980 – 1981
11 Gangaikonda Cholapuram [7] Ariyalur 1980 – 1981, 1986 – 1987, 2008 – 2009
12 Kannanur Tiruchirappalli1982 – 1983
13 Kurumbanmedu Thanjavur1984 – 1985
14Palayarai [8] Thanjavur1984 – 1985
15 Alagankulam [9] Ramanathapuram1986 – 1987, 1990 – 1991, 1993 – 1994, 1995 – 1996, 1996 – 1997, 1997 – 1998, 2014 – 2015
16Tirukkovilur [10] Villupuram1992 – 1993
17Kodumanal [11] Erode1992 – 1993, 1996 – 1998
18Sendamangalam [12] Villupuram1992 – 1993, 1994 – 1995
19PadaveduTiruvannamalai1992 – 1993
20 Tiruttangal Virudhunagar1994 – 1995
21Poompuhar [13] Nagappatinam1994 – 1995, 1997 – 1998
22Maligaimedu [14] Cuddalore1999 – 2000
23TirunelveliRamanathapuram1999 – 2000
24MangudiTirunelveli2001 – 2002
25Perur [15] Coimbatore2001 –2002
26 Andipatti Tiruvannamalai2004 – 2005
27 Modur Dharmapuri2004 – 2005
28Marakkanam [16] Villupuram2005 – 2006
29ParikulamThiruvallur2005-06
30NedunkurKarur2006 – 2007
31Mangulam [17] Madurai2006 – 2007
32SembiankandiyurNagappatinam2007 – 2008
33Tranquebar [18] Nagappatinam2008 – 2009
34Rajakkalmangalam [19] Tirunelveli2009 – 2010
35TalaichankaduNagapattinam2010 – 2011
36Alambarai [20] Kancheepuram2011 – 2012
37Srirangam [21] Trichy2013 – 2014, 2014 – 2015
38Ukkaran KottaiTirunelveli2014 – 2015
39Pattaraiperumbudur [22] Tiruvallur2015 – 2016
40Keeladi [23] Sivagangai 2017 – 2018, 2018 – 2019, 2019 - 2020
41Vembakottai (Kottai Medu)Viruthunagar2022 – 2023

List of District Archaeological Site Museums

List of District Archaeological Site Museums
S. No.NamePlace
1Marine Archaeological Site Museum Poompuhar
2.Danish Fort Site Museum Tharangambadi formerly Tranquebar
3.Coimbatore Site Museum Coimbatore
4.Hero Stones Site Museum Dharmapuri
5.Chera Site Museum Karur
6.Courtalam Site MuseumTirunelveli
7.Rajarajan Site MuseumThanjavur
8.Maratta Site MuseumThanjavur
9.Tirumalai Nayak Mahal Site Museum Madurai
10.Pre-Historic Site Museum Tiruvallur
11.Islamic Site Museum Vellore
12.Ramalinga Vilasam Site MuseumRamanathapuram
13.Rajendracholan Site Museum Mayiladuthurai
14.Tirukkoilur Site Museum Tirukoilur
15.Vembakottai Site MuseumVembakottai

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariyalur district</span> District in Tamil Nadu, India

Ariyalur district is an administrative district, one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The district headquarters is located at Ariyalur. The district encompasses an area of 1,949.31 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pattanam</span> Village in Kerala, India

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perur</span> Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Perur is a major residential neighbourhood and cultural hub of the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India. It is located on the banks of Noyyal River, which divides the settlement into equal halves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vellalore</span> Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Vellalore is a panchayat town in Coimbatore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a southern suburb of the city. It is at 12 km east of Townhall, the centre of the city Coimbatore. It is situated on the southern bank of Noyyal river.

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. In 2005, around 169 clay urns containing human skeletons were unearthed that date back to at-least 3,800 years. In 2018, research on copper metal remains remains were dated at Manipur University to 1500 BC. But dating was not accepted as accurate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sources of ancient Tamil history</span> Literary, archaeological, epigraphic and numismatic sources of ancient Tamil history

There are literary, archaeological, epigraphic and numismatic sources of ancient Tamil history. The foremost among these sources is the Sangam literature, generally dated to 5th century BCE to 3rd century CE. The poems in Sangam literature contain vivid descriptions of the different aspects of life and society in Tamilakam during this age; scholars agree that, for the most part, these are reliable accounts. Greek and Roman literature, around the dawn of the Christian era, give details of the maritime trade between Tamilakam and the Roman empire, including the names and locations of many ports on both coasts of the Tamil country. There are evidences as could be seen comparing standard forms of Sumerian literature and those recovered through present form of Tamil, for example the word for father in Sumerian transliteration is given as, "a-ia" that could easily be compared with Tamil word, "ayya". This also places ancient form of Tamil to early Sumerian period, say as ancient as 3500 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mathilakam</span> Village in Kerala, India

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keezhadi</span> Village in Tamil Nadu, India

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AGS Entertainment</span> Indian entertainment company

AGS Entertainment is an Indian film production, distribution company, and multiplex chain in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was established in 2006 by Kalpathi brothers: S. Aghoram, S. Ganesh, and S. Suresh. AGS has four multiplex movie theaters across Chennai.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. Nagaswamy</span> Indian academic (1930–2022)

Ramachandran Nagaswamy was an Indian historian, archaeologist and epigraphist who was known for his work on temple inscriptions and art history of Tamil Nadu. He was an authority on Chola bronzes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murugan Temple, Saluvankuppam</span> Hindu temple ruins

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Tamil Nadu</span> Overview of the architecture of 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.

Tamil Nadu Cement Corporation Limited (TANCEM) is a state-government undertaking of Government of Tamil Nadu located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It produces cement, AC sheets, hollow blocks, concrete and other building materials.

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.

Theni Government Medical College and Hospital is a teaching hospital in Theni district, Tamil Nadu, India. It was established in 2004. The college is located on the National Highway 85, 9 km from the district headquarters Theni, and 7 km from Aundipatty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keezhadi excavation site</span> Archaeological site in Tamil Nadu, India

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 BCE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil inscriptions</span> List of Tamil archaeological artefacts and epigraphs

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.

Thirukkolur(or Thirukalur ) is a village in Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu. The village is the location of the Sri Vaithamanidhi Perumal Temple.

References

  1. 1 2 "Archaeological Excavations conducted by the Department of Archaeology | Department Of Archaeology". www.tnarch.gov.in. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  2. ↑ Srikrishna, L. (3 September 2022). "Excavation at ancient port city of Korkai begins". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Defacing History". The Hindu. 26 May 2011. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "2000-year-old burial urns found near Tamil Nadu's Karur". The Times of India. 17 July 2017. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Staff Reporter (16 January 2022). "Two hero stones with inscriptions discovered at Perumbalai in Dharmapuri". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Scripting history". The Hindu. 20 June 2010. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  7. ↑ S.Ganesan (29 September 2022). "Excavation season set to end today at Gangaikondacholapuram". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Palayarai | Department Of Archaeology". www.tnarch.gov.in. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  9. ↑ "Azhagankulam was in the big league". The Hindu. 29 June 2015. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  10. ↑ S 5988, Sundar (16 March 2022). "Archaeological excavation begins at Thulukkarpatti". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Saravanan, S. P. (18 June 2020). "Excavation at Kodumanal reveals megalithic belief in afterlife". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  12. ↑ Kolappan, B. (10 January 2021). "Work on Vasantha Mandapam to resume". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Subramanian, T. S. (7 February 2023). "Dating Poompuhar, resolving a controversy". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  14. ↑ Basu, Soma (2 March 2022). "A Chola ornament rings in cheer at Maligaimedu". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "Chasing history". The Hindu. 30 January 2014. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  16. ↑ Bureau, The Hindu (25 March 2022). "A video on Chola bracelet found at Maligaimedu excavation site". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  17. ↑ Correspondent, Special (4 September 2021). "State to excavate three more archaeological sites, says Minister". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  18. ↑ "Excavations unearth Tranquebar's ancient ties with Europe - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Archaeologists 'bowl'ed over by at Thulukkarpatti site". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Tracing the origins of the region's earliest mint". The Hindu. 27 September 2012. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  21. ↑ "Excavations can throw fresh light on historic Srirangam town: Archaeologist". The Economic Times. 29 October 2013. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  22. ↑ Grasa Abraham, Minnoo; Sara Mathew, Alby; Thirumalini, S.; Baskar, J. (1 January 2021). "Study and characterisation of ancient terracotta ring well from pattaraiperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India". Materials Today: Proceedings. International Conference on Advanced Materials Behavior and Characterization (ICAMBC 2020). 43: 1614–1621. doi:10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.763. ISSN   2214-7853.
  23. ↑ "Keeladi excavation: Granite plough, cubical dice unearthed". The Times of India. 16 April 2021. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 22 February 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.