The State Archaeology Department in Kozhikode has unearthed what it calls a Megalithic era iron sword, a chisel and a few decorated pottery from a rock-cut cave at Pothuvachery in Kannur district.
The 105-cm sword, said to be 2,500 years old, was found during a scientific clearance at the historical site.
“However, the discovery of the cave was fortuitous on the unpaved road side parallel leading to the Manikkiyil temple road in Mavilayi village, 12 km from Kannur city,” K. Krishnaraj of the Archaeology Department, who is supervising the project, said.
About a month ago, he said that local people had spotted a hole that had developed on the gravel road. They dug out a few pieces pottery from the hole and kept them in their possession. Only later did some of them inform about the hole and return the Megalithic artefacts to the Archaeology Department.
The semi-spherical shaped cave has a diameter of 2.5 metre and a height of 90 cm. The investigations would continue for a week, he said.
Mr. Krishnaraj said that the sword was not a rare one. “Previously, a sword was discovered from a similar rock-cut cave from a site at Kuruvattur in Kozhikode. The recovery of the implements revealed the technological advancement of the Megalithic people,” he said.
The materials would be shifted to the Pazhassi Raja Archaeological Museum at East Hill in Kozhikode soon, he said.