CHENNAI: Archaeology Minister A Rajmohan on Wednesday defended the Keezhadi excavation findings, stating they are based on scientific evidence. He challenged the union government to constitute an expert committee to examine the site if it has doubts about the research.
Responding to a question on Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s recent remarks questioning whether history could be determined from a single finding, Rajmohan said the state has been approaching Keezhadi “scientifically, not emotionally.”
“If they are still not satisfied, constitute a committee. I will come along too. Let us go to Keezhadi directly. If it is not scientific, let them specify it,” he said.
The minister said archaeologists, including former excavation director Amarnath Ramakrishna, and successive administrations had consistently maintained the significance of the Keezhadi discoveries.
Calling the site “a pride of India”, Rajmohan said the excavations represented not just the story of Tamil civilisation but an important chapter in world civilisation. He cited the dating of elephant ivory combs, stone tools, iron artefacts and bicoloured pottery as examples of scientific evidence supporting the findings.
Highlighting the discovery of a Tamil-Brahmi inscription on a potsherd, he said the inscription reflects the lives of ordinary people rather than just kings. “Usually, inscriptions carry the names of kings. But here, even the person who made or owned the pot had their name written on it,” he said.
Rajmohan said the state government is ready with all documentation and evidence related to Keezhadi, and urged the centre to publish the research findings at the earliest.