Recent Digs in T.N.’s Tenkasi Reveal Presence of Iron Age Culture, Pg3.

Key Highlights:

• The Thirumalapuram site lies about 10 km northwest of the present-day village, near the Western Ghats.
• Excavations revealed urn burials, stone chambers, and grave goods, indicating a burial-based Iron Age culture.
• The site likely dates back to the early to mid-third millennium BCE, comparable to Adichanallur and Sivagalai.
• Archaeologists unearthed 37 trenches containing urns, red-slipped ware, black-and-red ware, black-polished ware, and coarse red ware.
• A unique rectangular stone slab chamber with urn burials was found — a first-of-its-kind discovery in Tamil Nadu.
• The urns and wares bore white-painted designs and symbols, linking the site culturally with other Iron Age sites in southern Tamil Nadu.

Detailed Insights:

• Cultural Significance:
  • The findings suggest the spread of Iron Age settlements close to the Western Ghats, expanding the known habitation zone beyond traditional eastern sites.
  • The presence of urn burials and megalithic structures points to complex funerary rituals and settled communities.
• Material Findings:
  • Black-and-red ware and white-painted pottery are diagnostic markers of Iron Age craftsmanship.
  • Grave goods like ceramics and tools indicate trade, social differentiation, and ritualistic culture.
• Scientific Approach:
  • Carbon dating and scientific analyses are underway to establish the precise age.
  • The excavations form part of TNSDA’s Western Ghats Archaeological Project, integrating geology, hydrology, and cultural mapping.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Iron Age Culture: Period characterized by widespread use of iron tools, agriculture, and megalithic burial practices.
• Megalithic Burials: Large stone structures or urn burials marking graves, often containing pottery, weapons, and ornaments.
• Stratigraphic Excavation: A method used to study cultural layers and chronology through systematic trenching.