Neolithic grooves found at Adiperumal temple near Vannamparai in Tiruppur district
The fieldwork was conducted by the Yaakkai team comprising Kumaravel Ramasamy, Sudhakar Nalliyappan, and Venkatesh Dhanapal, along with student interns from the Yaakkai Archaeological Library.
Dating back to the Neolithic period, the site features remarkably high concentration of grooves believed to have been used for grinding and sharpening stone tools. Over 100 grooves have been identified at Thathanur and seven more at Vannam Paarai. While earlier evidence of Neolithic presence in Kongu Nadu was limited to references in Robert Bruce Foote's documentation and later finds near the Noyyal river valley, this discovery provides direct archaeological evidence of large-scale prehistoric tool-making activity in the region.
The grooves differ in size and depth, with some notably deeper than those found in the sites at Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai districts, suggesting intense and prolonged use. The largest groove recorded at Thathanur measures 54 cm in length, 16.5 cm in width, and 4.2 cm in depth, while others generally range between 30-45 cm in length and 10-18 cm in width. These findings point to the site being a full-fledged Neolithic workshop, where tools were ground and polished for various agricultural and domestic purposes, supporting the broader archaeological understanding of a transition from hunter-gatherer societies to agrarian settlements during this period.
The presence of natural water sources such as springs and streams near both sites supports the typical pattern of Neolithic settlements being established in areas with reliable water access and strong rock formations. Additionally, microlithic stone tools - specifically quartz blades - were found on the surface outside the temple premises, and clusters of iron ore residues were observed near the grooves at Vannampaarai. These associated finds further reinforce the archaeological importance of the area and suggest that the region may have played a wider role in prehistoric material culture and metallurgy.
The grooves at Adiperumal Temple have been assimilated into local religious traditions. Villagers regard these ancient carvings as the footprints of Lord Perumal and continue to worship them. Vannampaarai is also a ritual site today, and local oral histories indicate a pattern of alternating worship between the two locations, suggesting a shared ritual heritage rooted in antiquity. This transformation of archaeological landscapes into sacred spaces is a well-documented phenomenon across Tamil Nadu.
The identification of this Neolithic production site with its high concentration of grooves, associated tool remains, and ritual continuity marks a significant addition to Tamil Nadu's prehistoric map.
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