VELLORE: Several antiquities, including potsherds, stone and iron tools and burnished wares, found at a Vellore excavation site by a team of excavators belonging to University of Madras suggest existence of ‘continuous human activities’ from Neolithic period to early historic period in the region.
A team of twenty six second-year postgraduate students of department of ancient history and archaeology of the university began the expedition, continuation of the previous year’s excavation, at Chenthurmalai in Valasai village near Gudiyatham, on 8 February.
The team was led by head of department (in-charge) of ancient history and archaeology Dr J Soundararajan and Jinu Koshi, site director. “The current expedition is an extension of the excavation the team had made last year yielding discovery of an ash mound,”
Soundararajan said. He added, “Three trenches were dug up this time yielding a collection of post sherds, bones, broken polished axes, flakes and cores beneath the ashy layer.”The bones found at the site are jaw with teeth of cattle and jaw of dog species.Neolithic material remains like burnished grey ware, red ware, black ware, grinding stones in broken and complete conditions were also discovered by the team.
The stone tools bear testimony to the use of tools in the region during Neolithic age. “Russel coated painted ware, black and red ware, red slipped ware and burnished ware have been found from one of the trenches, according to Soundararajan. Another significant finding of the excavation team is evidences of ‘fire activities’ and ‘iron smelting’. He explained, “Iron age and early historic age potteries were collected. Evidences of iron smelting activities in the form of furnace, tuyeres and slags were also seen at the site.”
The excavation site Valasai is surrounded by KV Kuppam and Anicut blocks, both falling under Vellore district, and Bangarupalem and Yadamari blocks of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The ash mound found in the village is ‘reasonable, plausible and conforming’ the ‘pattern’ and ‘life-style’ of the neolithic cultural sequences with iron technology, the excavators noted.
They stated that the iron implements were required for digging, ploughing, harvesting and other activities. Thus, the ash mound, iron presence and other ceramic ware prove the inter-related high temperature handling of ceramic and metallurgical skills of the people settled here.