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The Hindu
08-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
T.N. Archaeology Department sends 23 charcoal samples to U.S. for AMS dating
The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) has dispatched 23 charcoal samples, excavated from different stratigraphic layers at seven archaeological sites during the 2024-25 excavation season, to the Beta Analytic laboratory in the United States for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating, with an aim to establish the ancientness and absolute chronology of cultural deposits. According to official sources, among the samples sent, five are from the 10th phase of excavation at Keeladi in Sivaganga district, four from the first phase at Chennanoor in Krishnagiri district, two each from Tirumalapuram in Tenkasi district, Marungur in Cuddalore district and Porpanaikkottai in Pudukottai district, and three from Kongalnagaram in Tiruppur district. Further, the TNSDA has also sent five charcoal samples excavated from Thulukkarpatti in Tirunelveli district. Official sources said the AMS test results are expected within two months. In addition to AMS, the TNSDA is also employing a suite of scientific methods to study the ancientness of various unearthed materials. During the 10th phase of excavations at Keeladi, over 500 antiquities and 100 inscribed potsherds were unearthed, including red-slipped ware with fish motifs. In the second phase at Porpanaikkottai, 11 trenches yielded 1,792 antiquities, including pottery, glass beads, and bangles. Notably, a stone slab chamber with urn burials was excavated for the first time in Tamil Nadu at the megalithic burial ground in Tirumalapuram.
India Today
22-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
How unearthing Keeladi became a row over India's past
Archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the initial phases of excavation at Keeladi in Tamil Nadu, has become a key figure in an ongoing national debate about the interpretation of India's ancient past. His work, which began in 2014, brought to light evidence of an early, urbanised civilisation in South India. But his recent transfer and the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) rejection of his excavation report have rekindled discussions about the intersection of archaeology, politics and 982-page report submitted by Ramakrishna in 2023, covering the first two seasons of excavation, remains unpublished. The ASI requested revisions, citing the need for clarity on stratigraphic layers, the application of dating methods such as Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and broader interpretative consistency. Ramakrishna declined to revise the report, maintaining that the findings were based on established scientific Keeladi site, located near Madurai, gained prominence after excavations unearthed Tamil-Brahmi inscribed pottery, brick structures, an early drainage system, ivory dice and symbolic graffiti. These findings suggested the existence of a well-organised settlement dating back at least to the 2nd century BCE. Radiocarbon dating and stratigraphic evidence indicated a potentially earlier timeline, with some layers dated as far back as 600 implications were significant. The discoveries offered material evidence of an advanced society in the Tamil region, prompting comparisons with the Sangam era and raising questions about prevailing narratives of ancient Indian civilisation, which have often been weighted towards North Indian contexts. Ramakrishna's transfer to Noida in June, and the non-publication of his report, drew swift political response in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin posted on social media: 'How many obstacles do Tamils face? We have been fighting against all of them for thousands of years, and with the help of science, we have been establishing the antiquity of our race. Yet some minds refuse to accept it. It's not the statements that need to be corrected; it's some minds.'advertisementSince 2017, observers say, Amarnath Ramakrishna has faced a sustained pattern of institutional sidelining and political persecution. His transfer to Assam in 2017, just as Keeladi's excavation was gaining national attention, was the first clear signal of an attempt to derail the narrative he was helping construct—a narrative that unearthed evidence of a sophisticated, secular, urban Tamil civilisation from the Sangam era. His subsequent postings—far removed from active fieldwork—have systematically curtailed his influence. In his new posting, he was removed from his antiquities role and retained only as director of the NMMA—a unit that has remained largely defunct since its inception in in Keeladi, Amarnath's successor, P.S. Sriraman, took charge of the third phase and, after excavating merely 400 square metres of land, reported there was no continuity in the brick structures earlier uncovered—a claim that sharply contradicted previous findings and was seen by many as an attempt to downplay Keeladi's historical Ramakrishna's reassignment in 2017, Tamil Nadu's State Department of Archaeology has continued excavations at Keeladi. The site has since expanded, and a museum dedicated to its findings has been established. While the state has celebrated Keeladi as a symbol of Tamil antiquity, the Centre's call for caution appears misplaced—stemming less from methodological concerns and more from Keeladi's divergence from its preferred ideological Nadu's Minister for Finance and Archaeology, Thangam Thennarasu, offered a strong response to the ASI's actions. 'Crossing countless hurdles that threaten the pride and antiquity of the Tamil race, we continue to make the world aware of the richness of our heritage and language, backed by scientific evidence. Yet, some minds still refuse to accept the truth,' he said. 'To confront such denial, reports alone are not enough; rather, we carry the responsibility of changing those minds.'Union minister for culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekawat said the reports were not yet technically well supported or established. 'A lot remains to be done before recognising or accrediting the findings presented by the archaeologist who conducted the survey. Let them come with more results, data and evidence, because a single finding cannot change the entire discourse. We must be cautious, and let archaeologists, historians and technical experts lead this conversation—not politicians.'In response, Thennarasu suggested the central government's reluctance to endorse Keeladi's findings stemmed from treating Tamils as 'second-class citizens'.The Keeladi debate escalated as Stalin accused the AIADMK of staying silent when the Centre downplayed the site's significance, blaming their BJP alliance for the muted response. Former minister R.B. Udhayakumar countered that it was the AIADMK government that sanctioned Rs 55 lakh for the 2018 excavations. Senior AIADMK leader Mafoi Pandiarajan who was in charge of archaeology during the AIADMK reign under Edappadi Palaniswamy hailed the latter as 'Keeladi Nayakar' (hero of Keeladi), crediting him with establishing Tamil antiquity. A senior DMK leader dismissed this, saying, 'Their belated pride in Keeladi rings hollow when they put alliance politics above Tamil identity.'advertisementCPI(M) MP from Madurai S. Venkatesan, who has closely followed the developments around Keeladi, described Ramakrishna's transfer as the latest in a series of administrative hurdles. 'Transferring an official is not in itself a major issue—it is part of administrative procedures,' he said. 'But Amarnath Ramakrishna worked on the Keeladi excavation for eight years, without compromising on the truth. He was removed, reassigned and denied the opportunity to publish his findings. Only after court intervention was he allowed to write the report.'Venkatesan noted that the ASI had assured both the court and Parliament that the report would be published within 11 months, a timeline that was not met. 'Now, at the final stage, they suddenly say more scientific evidence is needed. This, after years of delays and obstructions,' he said. He characterised the actions against Ramakrishna as setting a precedent: 'The message is clear: If you do not align with our views, this is what will be done to you. This is not just about an individual—it's a discriminatory act against Tamil Nadu and against South Indian history itself.'advertisementAt the core of the Keeladi debate lies a methodological question—how evidence is collected, dated and interpreted. Yet, observers point out that the controversy has grown far beyond technicalities. It now reflects deeper concerns about how historical narratives are constructed, whose past is legitimised and how institutions mediate questions of the precise dating of Keeladi's layers and their implications for early South Indian civilisation continue to be subjects of academic scrutiny, there is broad scholarly agreement on the site's significance. 'Keeladi has emerged as one of the most important sites in reconstructing the cultural and urban history of early South India. The findings deserve open debate—not suppression,' notes a senior and political analysts argue that the persistent bureaucratic obstacles, the shelving of a report grounded in scientific evidence and the series of administrative actions against the archaeologist cannot be seen in isolation. They argue this is not about professional differences but more 'an attempt to discipline a regional narrative that challenges the dominant, Sanskritised version of Indian antiquity.'advertisementObservers suggest the implications go beyond archaeology. 'This is about who gets to write India's history,' said a political analyst. 'When the state selectively obstructs certain findings, it sends a message that history must serve ideology. In this case, it seems Tamil Nadu is being punished for asserting a past that does not fit the official narrative.'In this framing, the Keeladi controversy becomes not just an academic dispute but a struggle over memory, identity and power. As the analyst observed, 'The excavation trenches of Keeladi are turning into battlegrounds—not only over potsherds and carbon dates, but over who belongs in the centre of India's civilisational story.'Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Keezhadi row: Expert transferred again, CM Stalin says: ‘How many hurdles before Tamil race?'
K Amarnath Ramakrishna, the archaeologist known for his excavation work at Keezhadi, has been transferred from his post of Director of Antiquity at the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) to Director of the NMMA's Greater Noida office. The transfer comes less than a month after Ramakrishna declined to revise his 982-page 'final' report on Keezhadi, submitted to the ASI in January 2023. It is Ramakrishna's third transfer in nine months. Hitting out at the Centre over the transfer, Chief Minister M K Stalin said people should gather in large numbers for the protest organised by the DMK youth wing against the Centre's move to 'sabotage' the Keezhadi excavations and findings. In a statement Tuesday, he said: 'How many hurdles have been placed before our Tamil race? And yet, for thousands and thousands of years, we have resisted them, fought back, and established the antiquity of our people with the support of science! Still, there are some minds that refuse to accept it. It is not the reports that need correction – it is those minds!' Su Venkatesan, the CPI(M) MP from Madurai, said: 'Amarnath Ramakrishna is being relentlessly hunted down for the truth he uncovered… The people of Tamil Nadu will give an appropriate response to the deceitful actions of the Union government.' The CPI(M) is an ally of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. The Stalin government, which has made 'Dravidian' pride the centrepiece of its politics, considers the Keezhadi findings a key part of this – as they date the settlement to around the same time as the Indus Valley Civilization. Stalin and his ministers had reacted sharply to the letter written by ASI Director (Exploration & Excavation) Hemasagar A Naik on May 21 asking Ramakrishna to revise his findings, citing feedback from two unnamed experts. Stalin accused the BJP of 'selectively' accepting historical narratives. 'Even when confronted with carbon-dated artefacts and AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) reports from international laboratories on the Keezhadi excavations, they continue to demand 'more proof',' he said. 'They do so without credible evidence, while dismissing the rigorously proven antiquity of Tamil culture… We fought for centuries to unearth our history. They fight every day to erase it.' Tamil Nadu Finance and Archaeology Minister Thangam Thennarasu said: 'First, they said there was nothing in Keezhadi. Then the archaeologist was transferred. Later, they refused to allocate funds. Finally, they shelved the report for two years. Now they demand more proof.' During a recent visit to Chennai, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat backed the questions raised over Ramakrishna's report, saying 'it was not technically well-supported and established yet'. 'Let them come up with more results, more data, evidence, and proof. One finding cannot change the discourse of history.' He added: 'People in positions are trying to flare up regional sentiments, but we need to be cautious. This is a subject not to be decided by politicians but by archaeologists with sound technical expertise.' Ramakrishna has stood by his findings, citing 'documentary evidence' and scientific dating methods such as AMS to show that the Sangam-era urban settlement in Keezhadi goes back to 585 BCE. This puts it contemporaneous to Indus Valley, and potentially contradicts the Sangh's theory of who the original settlers of the Indian region were. The letter by ASI Director Naik, asking Ramakrishna to revise the report, said the dating of the earliest cultural phase – between the 8th and 5th centuries BCE – required 'concrete justification', and suggested that 'in the present state of our knowledge', it could be no earlier than 300 BCE. In a written reply two days later, Ramakrishna said: 'The period of the site was reconstructed as per the stratigraphical sequence, cultural deposit available with material culture and with the AMS date found during the excavation… The outcome of the observation of the excavator was incorporated in the final report with all documentary evidence.' Ramakrishna added that relevant nomenclature changes had already been accepted and communicated in 2023. 'The view expressed by you for further examination of sequence is against the well-reasoned conclusive finding of the excavator of the site,' he wrote to Naik. Earlier, in 2017, Ramakrishna had been transferred to Assam just months after his preliminary findings from Keezhadi became known. His successor at the site dismissed the third phase of excavations as yielding 'no significant findings'. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court eventually allowed the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology to take over the dig, which is now entering its 11th phase, with over 20,000 artefacts unearthed. In September 2024, Ramakrishna was transferred after promotion to Director (Excavation & Exploration), only to be moved to Director (Antiquity) three months later.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Did humans live in Kachchh 5000 years before the Harappans and eat THIS? Read to find out
History keeps evolving with every new discovery. Sometimes, what we consider the beginning of civilization in a region turns out to be only a chapter in a much longer and richer story. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now That's exactly what a team of researchers has found in Gujarat's Kachchh region. Long before the Harappans built their cities, human communities were already living, surviving, and adapting to the land and its environment. These weren't city builders or traders yet, but they were intelligent, observant, and deeply connected to the natural world around them. A recent research study, released in a press note titled "Shell Chronicles of Ancient Kachchh" by the Ministry of Education, has revealed some archaeological evidence that places humans in this region at least 5,000 years before the Harappan civilisation. The study was conducted by researchers from IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN), in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), Delhi, and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad. According to Prof. V.N. Prabhakar, the lead investigator from IITGN, 'Our study is the first to identify these sites, confirm their cultural significance, and establish a chronological context.' The early humans ate this… These early communities, according to researchers, lived in a mangrove-rich landscape and heavily relied on shellfish like oysters and snails for food. Shell heaps, known as middens, were found in various parts of Khadir and nearby islands. These were once dismissed as natural deposits but are now recognized as evidence of early human life. To confirm the age of these findings, the team used Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), a high-precision method that measures Carbon-14 levels to date organic remains. This method, paired with tree-ring calibration, helped establish a timeline that predates the Harappans. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Shells collected were analysed at PRL, Ahmedabad, and IUAC Delhi with support from experts like Prof Ravi Bhushan, JS Ray, and Dr Pankaj Kumar, according to Prof. Prabhakar. Some tools were also discovered Interestingly, the also found stone tools such as blades, scrapers, and used cores, suggesting a community skilled in tool-making. As Dr Shikha Rai, a postdoctoral researcher and co-author, stated, 'The presence of these tools and associated raw materials suggests that the communities engaged in the prolific manufacture of implements for daily tasks.' The researchers believe these early groups had deep knowledge of their environment, and this may have later helped the Harappans in planning settlements and trade routes. Prof. Prabhakar noted, 'Instead of abrupt external influence, what we see here is a gradual, locally rooted process of adaptation and cultural development.' Earlier research done at IIT Gandhinagar had already studied the climate history of Khadir Island going back over 11,500 years. Now, with the discovery of these ancient shell middens, scientists believe they can learn even more. By closely examining these shells, researchers hope to understand what the climate was like when early humans lived in the area. These natural remains hold clues about rainfall, temperature, and sea levels from thousands of years ago. This can help build a clearer picture of how ancient people adapted to changes in their environment
Hindustan Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Stalin slams Centre over Keeladi excavation data
The Union government has continued its demand for more proof even after they were given carbon-dated artefacts and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) reports from International Laboratories on the Keeladi excavations, said Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Friday. 'When it comes to Keeladi and the enduring truth of Tamil heritage, the BJP-RSS ecosystem recoils — not because evidence is lacking, but because the truth does not serve their script,' Stalin said in a post on X. 'We fought for centuries to unearth our history. They fight every day to erase it. The world is watching. So is time.' But on the contrary, despite strong opposition from respected historians and archaeologists, the BJP continues to promote the 'mythical Sarasvati Civilisation,' he said, adding that they do so without credible evidence, while dismissing the rigorously proven antiquity of Tamil culture. Stalin's comments come amid a controversy on Keeladi's report. On June 11, Union minister of culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat alleged that the DMK government was refusing to cooperate with the central government on Keeladi research and was instead politicising the findings. In May, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) challenged the dating and classification of key discoveries from Tamil Nadu's Keeladi excavations, asking its officer K Amarnath Ramakrishna to carry out extensive revisions to a report that underpins the state government's, and of rival Dravidian parties', claims about ancient Tamil civilisation. ASI asked Ramakrishna, who led the first two phases of excavations at the politically sensitive site, to rework his 982-page findings submitted in January 2023. The central agency said two experts had vetted the report and suggested five corrections to make it 'more authentic.' In his response, Ramakrishna on May 23, defended his report, stating that the chronological sequence of Keeladi was clearly explained in the voluminous report. He had relied on AMS dating of 23 artefacts, which established their age to be 300 CE to arrive at a chronological sequence of Keeladi to be between the 8th century BCE to 3rd century CE. Ramakrishna is currently the director of antiquities in the ASI. In response to his letter, the ASI said that they regularly send reports to various subject experts to vet for publication. The chief minister has framed these archaeological pursuits as part of a broader ideological battle, arguing that 'many used to argue that it was a figment of imagination that Aryan and Sanskrit were the origin of India,' while asserting that discoveries support claims that 'the language spoken in the Indus Valley could be Dravidian.' Till the time of writing, the BJP did not respond to Stalin's criticism.
