DHARMAPURI: A team of historians from Thonmam Historical Research Foundation has discovered earthen pots, grindstone and identified a burial site, believed to be of iron age (7 BCE and 14 BCE) near the Thoppur railway station recently.
Three months, ago, a team led by history professor Dr C Chandrasekar started excavation after farmers informed the foundation that they found some artifacts in a forest area near the Vaikuntha Perumal koil near the Thoppur railway station. The researchers carried out an extensive study and found grind stones, cairn stones, menhir stones, earthen pottery and tools used in the iron age period.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr C Chandrasekar said, “We found some cairns and menhir which was a site where ancient people had used to bury the dead. Further scouting a 2 km area we found red and black earthenware in the surrounding. We also found a tool, a grindstone used for grinding earthenware. We believe this could have been a settlement site as we have also found small ball shaped stone carving which could have been used for children to play games.”
Professor Chandrasekar added, “Cairn stones and mehnir were used predominantly in the iron age. Based on the nature of the pots and other evidence, we believe the settlement existed between 14th-7th century BCE.”
Retired assistant director of archeology department Dr Subramaniam, who also participated in the study, said Dharmapuri was a part of trade route used by merchants and there is evidence to it in British maps. This could have been part of an old settlement which lay along the route, he said. The researchers submitted their findings and handed over the items to archeological officer S Paranthaman.