COIMBATORE: The state department of archaeology has unearthed around 500 artefacts, including Roman copper coins establishing trade connections between the ancient city and Coimbatore, during their excavations on the Noyyal river bed at Vellalore in Coimbatore district.
The first phases of the ongoing excavations at eight sites, including Vellalore, across the state – announced in March 2025 – are expected to conclude in October 2026.
In its 2025-2026 budget, the state government allocated Rs 7 crore for comprehensive archaeological excavations and scientific research across the eight sites – Vellalore (Coimbatore), Thelunganur (Salem), Adichanur (Kallakurichi), Manikkollai (Cuddalore), Nagapattinam, Pattanamarudur (Thoothukudi), Karivalamvanthanallur (Tenkasi), and Keezhadi (Sivaganga).
After months of delay, the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) under the Union Ministry of Culture has cleared the proposal for the excavations submitted by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) only in March 2026.
The excavations commenced in all eight sites only a few days ago, said officials from the department, adding that they had already unearthed nearly 500 artefacts in Vellalore.
A senior department official recalled previous instances of informal digging by residents in the Vellalore region that had unearthed ancient Roman coins.
He said, “Vellalore has Roman trade links. To establish the historic connection, we have commenced excavations at two different sites on the Noyyal river bed at Vellalore.
Of the seven trenches planned, five of them have already been dug, each with a depth of 2.5 metres. Around 25 people are involved in the excavations, and we have found around 500 artefacts so far, including three copper coins, spindle whorls, shell and glass bangles.”