For several years, experts had surmised that the archaeological site at Keezhadi in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu dates back to the Sangam era. Now, carbon dating has confirmed that two samples sent from the site are indeed nearly 2,200 years old.
As reported by The Hindu, the Union Ministry of Culture responding to Member of Parliament and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Kanimozhi in the Rajya Sabha, informed the house that the carbon dating by Beta Analytic, Florida, United States confirms that the samples sent from the site by the Archaeological Survey of India are nearly 2,200 years old.
“Radio Carbon dating suggests that the samples go back to 2,160+30 years and 2,200+30 years,” stated the Ministry.
The Keezhadi dig that was started four years ago had unearthed many an evidence of ancient Tamil life as is depicted in texts like Sangam literature. Samples of carbon elements from the middle part of the 4.5-metre deep deposits that archaeologists had found had been sent for carbon dating.
“We can now say for sure that the samples were from 3rd century BC,” said Archaeological Survey of India’s superintending archaeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna who led the excavations in Keezhadi earlier.
Keezhadi is a major habitation site in Tamil Nadu. “The last time habitation sites were excavated in Tamil Nadu was at Arikamedu. We zeroed in on Keezhadi after studying both banks of Vaigai river through its entire stretch from Western Ghats till the point it reaches the Bay of Bengal,” he says.
A total of 72 potsherds with Tamil Brahmi script were found at Keezhadi.
