Keeladi excavation holds India’s attention, a proud moment for citizens of Tamil Nadu, as an archaeological research carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) along the Vaigai river has shed light on over 7,500 artefacts whose carbon dating readings date back to the Sangam age. The most significant finding that shook archaeologists was the secular nature of the civilisation, as there were no traces of religious symbols in the Keeladi excavation. Archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the Keezhadi excavation, disagreed with the ASI’s request to revise his report on the Keeladi excavation. This disagreement sparked a clash between the Central and Tamil Nadu, creating tensions.
This blog, curated by our history scholars at the most reputed UPSC institute in South India, dives deep into the Keeladi Excavation, Sangam age, and the Indus Valley civilisation, which will be insightful and useful for your Civil Service Exam preparation.
The Sangam Age
The period between the 3rd century B. C and the 3rd century A. D was named the Sangam age after the Sangam academics held during that period that flourished under Pandya kings of Madurai. South India, during the Sangam age, was ruled by three dynasties, the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas. During this period, agriculture was the chief occupation. The fourfold Vedic system of caste hierarchy did not exist during the Sangam age.
Tamil Nadu had established a firm base for the beginning of archaeological research in India with the findings of the first stone tool at Pallavaram, near Madras, by Sir Robert Bruce Foote in 1863.
Did You Know?
Madurai is regarded as “the great Athens of South India”.
Keeladi Excavation
The Vaigai River was chosen for the archaeological survey due to its crucial role in the development of the Pandyas Kingdom of Madurai. During the Keeladi excavation, various antique remains such as urn burials, menhirs, inscriptions, sculptures, and hero-stones were documented. Results of carbon dating of a few artefacts traced their existence to the 2nd century BCE, the Sangam period.
Potteries found here had writings on them, which were later confirmed to register the names of owners. Upon further study of the inscriptions, it was found to be an array of pure Tamil, pure Prakrit, and Prakrit converted to Tamil language names. A few pot shards inscribed in Prakrit had immense similarity (names such as “Guthasa”) that it could be confirmed as Sri Lankan origin. Some of the names have parallels with those found in Jain caverns. As per the conclusion by the archaeologists, the cultural remains specify a unicultural site. The occurrence of Prakrit names in shards could point to external trade with Sri Lanka.
Dice and around 80 chess pieces were recovered from Keeladi, pointing towards the fact that games were also a part of adult life.
Graffiti & Symbols: Indus Valley Civilisation & Keeladi
The Indus scripts are the earliest scripts found in India, dating back 4500 years. After the disappearance of the Indus script and before the emergence of the Brahmi script, there exists a certain kind of script regarded as graffiti marks by scholars. Huge similarities have been found between graffiti symbols of Keeladi and signs of the Indus Valley civilisation. Experts have claimed that Keeladi’s graffiti is the link between the Indus script and the Brahmi script. It’s a precursor to the Brahmi script. Like the Indus scripts, these graffiti marks could not be deciphered to date. The Keeladi pot engraving with names also suggests the literacy level of the society to be high.
India’s first large-scale civilisation, the Harappan civilization, also known as the Indus Valley civilization, developed in the North and middle parts of the country between 3,300 and 1300 BCE. As the Harappan civilisation declined, the second urban phase arose in the Gangetic plains during the Vedic period. This period had bold kingdoms, big cities, and also potentially gave rise to the Vedic civilisation, which is the prelude to Hinduism.
The Brahmi-Ashoka script, discovered in Northern and Central India, was considered the ancestor of the majority of scripts in South and Southeast Asia. Epigraphists strongly believe that the Tamil language and the Brahmi script branched off from the Ashokan Brahmi script. But the findings at Keeladi are putting this into question. As the discussions and arguments proceed, politicians are claiming Indus Valley civilisation and Keeladi, connected.
Political Tensions Around Keeladi Excavation
The Keeladi Excavations have set off political tensions, leading to a North-South divide. The Keezhadi findings challenge the narrative that the origin of literacy and civilisation in India is exclusively from North India. The political tensions rose further with the Tamil Nadu chief minister, M. K Stalin, claiming that it’s a politically motivated attempt by the BJP government to diminish Tamil pride. The Union government provided clarification on the matter as comments of experts haven’t been finalised. The political storm further intensified as the lead archaeologist, K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, was transferred after the findings.
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FAQs
The Keeladi excavation is significant because it has unearthed over 7,500 artifacts along the Vaigai River, carbon-dated to the Sangam age (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE). Key findings include the secular nature of the civilization (no religious symbols), evidence of a highly literate society, and potential links to the Indus Valley Civilization through shared graffiti symbols.
The Sangam Age refers to the period between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE, named after the Sangam academies that flourished under the Pandya kings of Madurai. During this time, South India was primarily ruled by three dynasties: the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas. Agriculture was the main occupation, and the fourfold Vedic system of caste hierarchy did not exist.
Significant similarities have been found between the graffiti symbols discovered at Keeladi and the signs of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Experts suggest that Keeladi’s graffiti could be a crucial link, acting as a precursor to the Brahmi script and potentially bridging the gap between the undeciphered Indus script and later Indian scripts.
Besides the artifacts dating to the Sangam period, the Keeladi excavation uncovered various antique remains such as urn burials, menhirs, inscriptions, sculptures, and hero-stones. Importantly, inscribed potteries in pure Tamil, Prakrit, and Prakrit-converted Tamil names suggest a high literacy rate. The discovery of dice and around 80 chess pieces also indicates the presence of games in adult life.
Archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the Keeladi excavation, disagreed with the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) request to revise his report on the findings.