CUDDALORE: Ancient terracotta smoking pipes and a lamp, believed to date back to the Sangam era, were discovered during a recent surface survey conducted near Enathirimangalam in the Thenpennai river region in Panruti. Research scholar C Immanuel and postgraduate scholar V Prathap from the History Department of Aringar Anna Government Arts College in Villupuram conducted the survey.
Immanuel said, “The recent floods in the Thenpennai river caused soil erosion, exposing ancient artefacts, including pottery shards. We found three red terracotta smoking pipes and a black terracotta lamp along the riverbank.” Similar pipes were found in large quantities during excavations at sites such as Adichanallur, Vembakkottai, and Keeladi, and similar lamps in Payyampalli, Modur, and Appukallu as well as other key archaeological sites, including Arikamedu, he said.
The black terracotta lamp, 10.5 cm in length and 8 cm in width with a single wick holder is believed to belong to the Sangam era, Immanuel said. The lamp discovered in Enathirimangalam resembles those found in the Arikamedu excavations, he noted. "Ancient people, as they transitioned into the neolithic period, understood the necessity of fire. They crafted small lamps by shaping wet clay into shallow vessels,” he said.
Prathap said, “The terracotta smoking pipes and lamps found on the Thenpennai riverbank align with findings from various archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu. These discoveries provide valuable insights into the lives of ancient Tamil people and the settlements along riverbanks during the Sangam era.”