Sivagalai rewrites the past: Time travel on an iron spear

When Tamil Nadu CM Stalin declared that the Iron Age began on Tamil soil 5,300 years ago, it was primarily due to the findings from Sivagalai, which is part of a rich archaeological region.
Archaeological excavation site at Sivagalai in Thoothukudi
Archaeological excavation site at Sivagalai in Thoothukudi Photo | V Karthikalagu, EPS
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SIVAGALAI: Thirteen years ago, the quiet village of Sivagalai in Tamil Nadu harboured a secret — a history buried beneath its dusty expanse, waiting to be discovered. It was A Manickam, a history teacher with an insatiable curiosity, who stumbled upon fragments of an ancient past during his morning walks. Little did he know that his quest to collect pottery, iron tools, and stone objects scattered across the land would one day place his village on the global archaeological map. From modest beginnings, his discovery would soon rewrite the history of the Iron Age in Tamil Nadu.

When Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Thursday that the Iron Age began on Tamil soil 5,300 years ago, it was primarily due to the findings from Sivagalai. The report, Antiquity of Iron - Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu, released by the CM, highlighted that charcoal samples found alongside iron objects in burial urns at Sivagalai were as old as 3345 BCE. The dating of these samples confirmed that iron technology in Tamil Nadu dates back to the 4th millennium BCE.

A Manickam, a history teacher at Sri Kumara Gurubara Swamigal Higher Secondary School in Srivaikuntam, embarked on a journey that would span over a decade. It all started with a fascination for ancient artefacts—stone tools, metal objects, and pottery—that he discovered in Sivagalai. What began as a personal interest soon turned into a mission to uncover the rich history of his village, which failed to attract the attention of archaeologists and historians despite its potential significance.

A Manickam, a history teacher at Sri Kumara Gurubara Swamigal Higher Secondary School in Srivaikuntam.
A Manickam, a history teacher at Sri Kumara Gurubara Swamigal Higher Secondary School in Srivaikuntam.

Sivagalai, located in Thoothukudi district, had always been overshadowed by more prominent archaeological sites nearby, such as the famous Adichanallur site, just 10 kilometres away across the Thamirabarani river. Despite this proximity, Sivagalai had remained largely unexamined, its historical significance unknown to the outside world. But Manickam, with his passion and determination, began collecting small artefacts from his walks, carefully cataloguing each discovery.

As his collection grew, so did his ambition. Manickam felt compelled to preserve these artefacts and share them with others. Unable to store them at his home, he founded the Sivagalai Archaeological Protection Forum at his school. His goal was simple: display the artefacts in a small gallery, raise awareness among students, and inspire them to appreciate the rich cultural heritage of their region.

A struggle for recognition

Manickam’s journey was not without its challenges. Despite his enthusiasm, he struggled to draw the attention of officials to Sivagalai’s potential. His efforts to contact state and central government officials were met with little response. When the media took an interest in his discoveries in 2018, it was a turning point. News of the artefacts began to spread, and visitors to the site began to increase. Still, the lack of formal recognition from authorities left Manickam feeling frustrated.

Unable to secure an official archaeological survey, Manickam took matters into his own hands. He teamed up with writer Muthalankurichi Kamarasu, who had been fighting a legal battle to release the Adichanallur archaeological survey report. Together, they included a request for Sivagalai’s excavation in Kamarasu’s plea.

A Manickam (49) along with his student searching for antiquities on the Sivagalai Parambu.
A Manickam (49) along with his student searching for antiquities on the Sivagalai Parambu.Photo | Express

With a growing body of evidence in hand, Manickam also took it upon himself to further his understanding of archaeology. He enrolled in a one-year diploma course in archaeology from Tamil Nadu Open University, expanding his knowledge and strengthening his case for excavation. A teacher by trade, Manickam already held 12 degrees and diplomas in subjects ranging from History to Tamil, English, and Computer Applications. He is currently pursuing a PhD on the Archaeological Sites of Thoothukudi from Sadakathullah Appa College, affiliated with Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.

Manickam’s persistence finally paid off in 2018 when he became a member of the district-level textbook correction committee. This position gave him an opportunity to meet with T Udhayachandran, a senior IAS officer who was then Secretary of School Education. Manickam took advantage of the meeting to share his findings, sending photographs and details of the artefacts via WhatsApp.

The following day, Udhayachandran called Manickam to ask for more details and assured him that officials would visit the site. Within days, a team arrived in Sivagalai to conduct an initial survey of the area. The results of this survey were promising, and the Tamil Nadu government agreed to proceed with excavations.

In February 2019, the State government informed the court that it would fund archaeological excavations at Sivagalai. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) also conducted their own survey and concluded that there was significant potential for further excavation. Initially, the Tamil Nadu government allocated Rs 31 lakh for the project. Excavations were carried out in three phases between 2019 and 2022, leading to remarkable discoveries.

What the findings reveal

The report released by Chief Minister Stalin identifies Sivagalai as an “Iron Age habitation-cum-urn burial site.” Located seven kilometres north of the Thamirabarani river, Sivagalai is part of a rich archaeological region that includes the microlithic site of Sayarpuram, Adichanallur, and the ancient Pandya port of Korkai.

Over the course of the excavations, 161 urns were uncovered, many in varying states of preservation. The excavation team also found over 85 iron objects, including knives, arrowheads, chisels, axes, and swords, some of which were found inside the urns. These discoveries were not only remarkable for their quality but also for the insight they provided into early Tamil society.

The most significant findings, however, were the charcoal samples taken from two urns. Charcoal from Urn-1 and Urn-10 was sent to Beta Analytic laboratory in the United States for radiocarbon dating using the AMS 14C method. The results were stunning: dates as early as 3345 BCE and 3259 BCE, confirming that iron technology had been used in Tamil Nadu more than 5,000 years ago.

DURAI

Global implications

The results of the Sivagalai excavations have far-reaching implications for the understanding of the Iron Age. Until now, historians and archaeologists had believed that iron technology in India emerged in the 1st millennium BCE. The findings from Sivagalai push that date back by more than a millennium, establishing the use of iron in Tamil Nadu as early as the 4th millennium BCE.

Scholars such as Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti, Professor Emeritus at Cambridge University, and Rakesh Tiwari, former Director-General of ASI, have hailed the findings as a major breakthrough. K Padayya, Emeritus Professor and Former Director of Deccan College in Pune, stressed the importance of the dates, highlighting that they were confirmed by multiple laboratories, making them a pivotal moment in the study of early iron technology.

Despite the significance of the findings, experts agree that further excavations are needed to fully understand the scope of the site. K Amarnath Ramakrishna, Director of Archaeology at the Archaeological Survey of India, emphasised the need for further exploration of habitation sites to provide a clearer picture of the early urbanisation process.

For Manickam, the recognition of Sivagalai’s archaeological significance is both a triumph and a challenge. He believes that the site must be declared a protected area to prevent damage from nearby stone quarries, which could threaten the integrity of the site.

While the findings have put Sivagalai on the global map, many locals remain unaware of the full extent of the discovery. When TNIE visited Sivagalai on Friday, the site and the village remained calm, unaware of the churning it has created in the world of archaeology. The majority of the trenches have been closed while a few are protected. The site watchman Natarajan wanted fencing to be done to prevent the entry of anti-social.

Raj, who was in the village stressed the need for recognising Manickam, while people like Shanti, who was carrying grass for her cattle, remain blissfully unaware of the recent findings. “What will it bring to me?” she asked and walked away.

The village remains calm, as the trenches are gradually closed and artefacts secured. But for Manickam, the journey is far from over. As he looks ahead, he hopes that Sivagalai will not only be preserved for future generations but also serve as a model for the protection and study of archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu.

11 samples tested through OSL and AMS 14C methods

It can be noted that as many as 11 samples, of which seven were ceramic, three were charcoal and one was paddy, from Sivagalai site tested through Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and AMS 14C methods have returned calibrated radiometric ages ranging from 1155 BCE to 3345 BCE, highlighting the need for more excavations and testing to obtain further clarity on the chronology. While the paddy sample was dated to 1155 BCE, the oldest ceramic sample was dated to 2459 BCE. K Rajan, archaeologist and advisor to the State Department of Archaeology, said that the Sivagalai results obtained so far are reassuring since multiple samples sent to three different laboratories have returned the same results. He added that the department is mulling further follow-up action.

One man’s unrelenting fight gets TN global pride of place

Manikam started sending representations to the State and Union government’s officials, highlighting the artefacts he has discovered and the need for an archaeological survey, but the efforts went in vain. He later joined hands with writer Muthalankurichi Kamarasu, who was then fighting a legal battle to release the Adichanallur archaeological survey report, to include the demand for excavation in Sivagalai also in the latter’s plea in the court. He said his enthusiasm drove him to swiftly take up a one year diploma course in archaeology from Tamil Nadu Open University to broaden his knowledge, said the teacher, who claim to hold 12 such degrees and diplomas in subjects like History, Tamil, English and Computer Application.

(With inputs from T Muruganandham in Chennai)

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