Recent digs in T.N.’s Tenkasi reveal presence of Iron Age culture

Why in News

• The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) conducted its first season of excavations at Thirumalapuram in Tenkasi district.
• Excavations revealed Iron Age cultural remains near the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
• Discovery includes urn burials, a stone slab chamber, and various ceramics, marking a first-of-its-kind finding in the state.

Relevance

• GS 1 – Ancient history : Iron Age in South India, archaeological methodology.

Basic Overview

• Location: Thirumalapuram, ~10 km northwest of the present-day village, between two seasonal streams from the Western Ghats.
• Site Area: Approximately 35 acres.
• Dating: Tentatively dated to early to mid-3rd millennium BCE (Iron Age).
• Excavation Method: 37 trenches dug during the first season.

Key Findings

1. Burial Structures
   1. A rectangular chamber constructed with 35 stone slabs, filled with cobblestones up to 1.5 m depth.
   2. Contains urn burials, unique in Tamil Nadu.
2. Ceramics
   1. Variety of pottery found: black-and-red ware, black ware, black-slipped ware, red ware, red-slipped ware.
   2. Some ceramics featured white-painted designs, a unique feature for the region.
3. Grave Goods
   1. Pottery included symbols on urns, considered among the most striking discoveries.
   2. Grave goods reflect ritualistic and cultural practices.
4. Comparison with Other Sites
   1. Similar symbols and ceramic types seen in Adichanallur, Sivagalai, Thulukkarpatti, Korkai.
   2. Helps in understanding regional continuity and spread of Iron Age culture in Tamil Nadu.

Historical and Archaeological Significance

• First-of-its-kind discovery in Tamil Nadu: Urn burials with stone slab chambers were not previously reported in the state.
• Indicates Iron Age cultural presence close to the Western Ghats, expanding knowledge beyond coastal or plains-based settlements.
• Helps reconstruct funerary practices, ritualistic life, and material culture of early communities in southern India.
• Adds to the body of evidence on ceramic technology, burial practices, and symbolism in South Indian Iron Age archaeology.

Scientific and Methodological Insights

• Excavations employed systematic trenching and scientific analyses.
• Artifact study allows chronological placement, typology classification, and comparative analysis with other Iron Age sites.
• Provides a baseline for further multidisciplinary studies, including geoarchaeology, archaeobotany, and material science.

Broader Implications

• Cultural: Reveals regional variation in Iron Age practices and expands understanding of social hierarchies and ritual practices.
• Tourism & Heritage: Potential for archaeological tourism and heritage awareness in Tenkasi.
• Academic: Opens avenues for research on Iron Age trade, migration, and technology in peninsular India.
• Preservation: Emphasizes the importance of protecting newly discovered archaeological sites from encroachment or looting.

Value Addition

Chronology & Periodization

• Iron Age in South India: ~1200 BCE – 300 BCE (regional variations exist).
• Characterized by the introduction of iron tools, agriculture intensification, and settled village life.
• Coexisted with megalithic practices, including elaborate burials, indicating complex social structures.

Settlement Patterns

• Location: Predominantly near rivers, fertile plains, and foothills of the Western Ghats.
• Sites include Adichanallur, Sivagalai, Korkai, Thirumalapuram, Thulukkarpatti, T. Kallupatti.
• Suggests agriculture-based economy, supplemented by pastoralism and trade.

Material Culture

• Pottery: Black-and-red ware (BRW), black-slipped ware, red-slipped ware, coarse red ware; often decorated with white-painted motifs.
• Iron Tools: Axes, chisels, sickles, indicative of farming, woodwork, and craft specialization.
• Symbolic Artefacts: Ceramics with symbols on urns reflect ritual and religious symbolism, possibly linked to ancestor worship.

Burial & Funerary Practices

• Megalithic urn burials: Stone slab chambers, cobblestone-filled graves, cist burials.
• Contained urns with human remains, pottery, and grave goods.
• Indicates belief in life after death and hierarchical social structures.
• Regional uniqueness: Thirumalapuram urn burials are the first slab-chamber type in Tamil Nadu, unlike earlier southern urn burials.

Socio-Economic Insights

• Agriculture: Iron tools enabled intensification of cultivation, supporting population growth.
• Trade & Craft: Evidence of beads, metal ornaments, and distinctive ceramics suggests local and inter-regional trade.
• Social Stratification: Variation in grave goods implies emerging hierarchies and differentiated social status.

Cultural & Ritual Aspects

• Symbols on urns indicate early literacy of symbols or proto-writing systems, possibly for clan or identity markers.
• Ancestor worship and ceremonial burial rituals show complex belief systems.
• Continuity with later Tamil culture and religious practices, e.g., reverence for hills and rivers.

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