VIRUDHUNAGAR: Rubbing grooves (karuvi thaeipu pallangal), used to shape and sharpen stone tools during the Neolithic period, believed to be around 8000 years old have been discovered at Shenbagathoppu in Srivilliputhur. Archaeologists say this is the first time such a discovery has been made in southern Tamil Nadu.
The discovery was confirmed by V Rajaguru, founder of the Ramanathapuram Archaeological Research Foundation, after an inspection following information shared by S Sivakumar, a resident of Noorsakipuram who spotted it.
According to Rajaguru, a total of four grooves were found on a rock near the forest check post at Shenbagathoppu. “The grooves were formed by the repeated rubbing and of stone hand axes. Three grooves are straight, while one is diagonal at the top. While the straight grooves may have likely been used to smoothen tools, the smaller diagonal groove may have been used for sharpening,” he said.
The grooves measure approximately 40, 46, 48 and 20 cm in length, with depths ranging from 1 cm to 3.5 cm. All four grooves are about 10 cm wide. “Compared to similar grooves found in northern Tamil Nadu, these are relatively shallow. Rubbing grooves are typically found near water sources, and traces of a stream have been identified near the site,” Rajaguru said.
According to the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department, the Neolithic Age in Tamil Nadu dates from 7000 BC to 4000 BC, based on scientific dating of archaeological sites. The period marked a major transition in human history, with communities moving from a nomadic lifestyle to settled living, alongside the emergence of agriculture, pottery and permanent settlements. The ASI has earlier reported evidence of Neolithic habitation in southern Tamil Nadu at T Kallupatti. Neolithic tools have also been found at Viluppanur near Srivilliputhur, Bogalur and Kulapatham in Ramanathapuram district, as well as grinding pits from the period on rocks beneath Gopalsamy Hill in Madurai district.