#Thread on the 8th phase of archaeological excavation in #Keeladi in #TamilNadu
Keeladi, a Sangam-era site, was first excavated in 2014. The 8th phase undertaken by the State Department of Archaeology began in February 2022
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One of the first to be unearthed is a rectangular-shaped dice measuring 4.5 cm made of ivory. The ASI and TNSDA had recovered cubical dice made of ivory and terracotta in the past.
This was the first time TNSDA stumbled upon a rectangular dice after it took over in 2017
Another important finding this season is an intricately designed female figurine made of terracotta. The ASI had also recovered similar figurines.
In Konthagai, part of the Keeladi cluster, archaeologists continue to find burial urns. Konthagai is likely to be the burial site of the inhabitants of Keeladi -- the distance between the habitation site (Keeladi) and Konthagai is just 750 metres diagonally.
The excavation is in the third phase in Konthagai. In the past one month, 20 urns were found in two large trenches that have been dug. The site yielded 47 urns and 31 urns in the first and second phase conducted in 2020 and 2021.
Bones, tooth, skull, petrous and other parts of a human skull, paddy husk found in burial urns and sediments of offering vessels found at burial sites are being subjected to various analyses and studies at the DNA lab being established in Madurai Kamaraj University.
Archaeologists continue to get beads made of different materials reinforcing their belief that the urban settlement that existed on the banks of River Vaigai had vibrant industries.
Over 15,500 artefacts were recovered in the first seven phases of excavation. These will be showcased at the grand museum being built in Keeladi, 12 km from Madurai, on the highway connecting the Temple City with Rameswaram.
The museum is likely to be a hit among tourists. Already people flock to Keeladi to take a look at the excavation site. The state-of-the-art museum is in the final stages of construction.
#Keeladi — the Sangam Era archaeological site, where excavations began for the first time in 2014, continues to throw surprises with a rich cache of artifacts, including an ivory rectangular dice and a female figurine made of terracotta, being unearthed
deccanherald.com/national/south…
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