This story is from August 22, 2019

Tamil Nadu: 2,000-year-old artefacts found in Yelagiri

A team of heritage enthusiasts, who were conducting a survey at Kundu Reddiyur, a remote village in the Yelagiri hills, has discovered ancient artefacts and material dating back to the Sangam age. The team discovered broken pieces of blowers, coarse red ware, terracotta bricks, skeletal pieces, smoking pipes and artefacts including beads and bangles made of animal bone dating back to 1st century AD from the site.
Tamil Nadu: 2,000-year-old artefacts found in Yelagiri
Pieces of black & red ware (left) and a weaving instrument believed to be from Sangam era were among the artefacts dug up
VELLORE: A team of heritage enthusiasts, who were conducting a survey at Kundu Reddiyur, a remote village in the Yelagiri hills, has discovered ancient artefacts and material dating back to the Sangam age. The team discovered broken pieces of blowers, coarse red ware, terracotta bricks, skeletal pieces, smoking pipes and artefacts including beads and bangles made of animal bone dating back to 1st century AD from the site.
They have also discovered remnants of a Jain school supposed to have existed during the 8th century AD and three hero stones belonging to 11th and 12th century AD respectively.
It was while conducting a search for hero stones in the area that the team comprising A Prabhu and S Sivachandrakumar, assistant professor of the Tamil department of the Sacred Heart College in Tirupattur, found the ancient artefacts scattered near a farm. "It was surprising to spot such ancient material scattered in the open farms. We couldn't believe it at first, but a discussion with senior archaeologists like R Sekar and Senkundran confirmed the fact that they are more than 2,000 years old. The black and red ware and potshards with symbols drawn on them were found scattered around a farm in the village. If proper excavation is conducted, there are chances of Kundu Reddiyur turning into the "Keezhadi of north Tamil Nadu," said A Prabhu.
However, speaking to TOI, Senkundran said: "Based on the information given by Prabhu, we visited the village and conducted a preliminary study. The village stands as a treasure house to the state archaeology department with all significant evidence of a continuous habitation in the spot," he said. "It's high time the state government declared it an archaeological site. Further excavation will definitely reveal interesting facts about social and cultural life of ancient people," he said.
The significance of Keezhadi (Madurai) excavation is that it has given archaeological evidence of a secular civilisation belonging to the Sangam era. Considered one of the most remarkable excavations conducted in the state so far, the team came upon an ancient urban civilisation which they compare to Harappa of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
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