Context:
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has called for a revised excavation report on the Keezhadi site near Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The decision aims to ensure improved scientific accuracy and clearer classification of the site’s historical periods.
Scientific Dating and Initial Findings:
The original excavation report, nearly 1,000 pages long, used Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) for dating charcoal samples.
· AMS is a highly sensitive technique that counts isotopic atoms—particularly carbon-14 (^14C)—used to date organic remains up to around 62,000 years old. The AMS results at Keezhadi placed human activity around 200 BCE, confirming its ancient roots.
· The report also identified several cultural phases, with the earliest (Period I) tentatively dated between the 8th and 5th centuries BCE. This hints at a much older urban history for Keezhadi, possibly predating many well-known settlements in the region.
· About Radiocarbon Dating: Radiocarbon dating (or ^14C dating) is a radiometric method that measures the decay of carbon-14 in carbon-bearing materials to determine age. Apart from archaeology, it is widely used in climate research and biomedical applications.
o AMS, used in Keezhadi, detects very low concentrations of isotopes, ranging from 10^(-12) to 10^(-16), making it ideal for precision dating in archaeology.
About the Keezhadi Site:
Keezhadi is a key archaeological site along the Vaigai River basin near Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Excavations began in 2015 following surveys identifying potential historical richness in the Vaigai valley.
Despite only 1 out of an estimated 100 acres being excavated, over 4,000 artefacts have been uncovered. These include bricks, pottery, ring wells, beads, graffiti, and advanced water storage systems—indicating a literate, urban society with craft specialization.
The finds suggest that an ancient Tamil civilization may have developed independently of North India, challenging the traditional north-centric narrative of early Indian urbanism.
The Sangam Period:
The Keezhadi findings have a strong connection to the Sangam Age (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), a pivotal era in South Indian history, known for its prolific Tamil literature. This period saw three Sangams (literary academies), believed to be held under the patronage of the Pandyan kings.
· First Sangam: Held in Madurai; attended by legendary sages and gods, but no records survive.
· Second Sangam: Held in Kapadapuram; most works lost except for Tolkappiyam.
· Third Sangam: Established in Madurai by Mudathirumaran; while much was composed, only select works survive today.
Key literary outputs from the Sangam Age include Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai, Pattuppattu, Pathinenkilkanakku, and the epics Silappathigaram and Manimegalai. These texts remain foundational for understanding early Tamil culture and society.
Conclusion:
The ASI’s request for a revised Keezhadi report underscores broader challenges in Indian archaeology such as, project management, scientific integrity, and timely dissemination of findings. Keezhadi’s evidence of an advanced, urban, literate society in early South India makes it vital to maintain clear and credible archaeological records that enrich and balance India’s historical narrative.
