Excavations at Thirumalapuram in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district have revealed an Iron Age burial site, potentially dating as early as 3345 BCE.

About the Thirumalapuram Site

• The site at Thirumalapuram, excavated by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA), offers the first evidence of Iron Age culture near the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
• Location:  It covers approximately 35 acres, near the Kulasegarapereri tank, in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district.
• Features of the Burial Site: 
• • Discovery of a rectangular stone slab chamber with urn burials, made of 35 slabs filled with cobblestones to 1.5 metres depth.
  • Ceramics include white-painted black-and-red ware, red ware, red-slipped ware, black-polished ware, and coarse red ware.
  • Symbols on urns depict human figures, mountains, deer, and tortoises, showcasing artistic expression.
• Artefacts Recovered: A total of 78 antiquities made of bone, gold, bronze, and iron were unearthed, including tweezers, swords, spearheads, gold rings, axes, daggers, chisels, and arrowheads.

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About the Iron Age in India

• The Iron Age in India marks the widespread adoption of iron technology, significantly impacting agriculture, warfare, and the emergence of complex societies.
• Period:  While North India’s Iron Age is generally dated to around 1200 BCE, recent southern finds, including Thirumalapuram, suggest early  to mid 3rd millennium BCE (c. 3345–2513 BCE).
• Features
• • Use of iron tools and weapons facilitating agricultural expansion and defense.
  • Urbanization and societal complexity, with burial practices and cultural artefacts reflecting organized communities.
• Ceramics and symbolic art indicate cultural continuity with sites like Adichanallur, Sivagalai, and Thulukkarpatti.
  

Significance of the recent discoveries: Thirumalapuram strengthens the understanding of early Iron Age settlements in South India, highlighting technological, cultural, and artistic advancements in the subcontinent.

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