Seventh phase of excavation begins at Keeladi archaeological site

The seventh phase of excavation at the ancient archaeological site of Keeladi on the banks of the theVaigai River in the Sivaganga district began on Saturday.

Besides Keeladi, the excavation is also being carried out in nearby villages like Manalur, Kondhagai and Agaram.

During the sixth phase of excavation, interrupted for a couple of months due to the COVID-19 lockdown, archaeologists had found human skeletons, precious stones, weighing measures and ring well structures.

Artefacts obtained from the site revealed that people who lived in the region around 3,000 years ago had advancedknowledge and skills and could have been involved in trading activities.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami inaugurated the seventh phase through video conference from the state secretariat herein the presence of Tamil Culture and Archaeology minister KPandiarajan, to facilitate the state archaeology department gain more evidence on the ancient Tamil civilisation.

A Tamil Nadu State Archaeology department release said theCentral Advisory Board for Archaeology has given it the nodfor excavations in Keeladi and nearby areas, Adichanallur, Sivakalai and Korkai in southern coastal Thoothukudi district, Kodumanal in Erode district, Gangaikondacholapuram in Ariyalurdistrict and Mayiladumparai in Krishnagiri district.

In addition, a field study will be done in Krishnagiri,Vellore, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai and Salem districts tofind new Stone Age sites, it said.

CABA has accorded permission to take up another fieldstudy in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts on the theThamirabarani river civilisation, the statement added.