Ancient coins, pottery pieces, semi-precious stones and glass beads found in Ellanthakarai at Kalayarkoil taluk in Sivaganga district have spurred excitement among historians and archaeologists.
Alagappa University in Karaikudi has submitted a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to excavate it in the next season. It is locally known as Vellar Thidal. The site was first noticed by enthusiast K. Ramesh, a photographer in the village.
“He has collected pottery and antiques belonging to various cultural periods from the Iron Age to the late medieval period. The mound yielded evidence from the Iron Age and late medieval historic periods such as black-and-red ware, all black ware, red slipped ware and coarse red ware,” S. Rajavelu, adjunct professor of the history department at the university, told The Hindu.
Mr. Rajavelu said the university would conduct the excavation and Vice-Chancellor N. Rajendran had approved the proposal. The university is now awaiting ASI’s permission. The other members of the excavation team include AR. Saravanakumar, S. Paranthaman, M. Murugan and A. Ambedkar.
He said the team had collected a few white painted pot sherds with graffiti marks and noticed a large number of pottery sherds of the above periods in the site. “We again visited the site along with experts of the Archaeological Survey of India TSP Chennai Region to understand the cultural sequence and importance of this site and concluded that the site was occupied since the Iron Age to late medieval period,” Mr. Rajavelu explained.
The habitation mound covers an area of about 10 acres with a 2 to 3 metres thick deposit. The entire mound explored by the staff of the History department yields clues that the site has potential for excavations. The exploration team collected lots of antiquates including beads, copper drill bit, bangles, coins, and iron objects.
Mr. Rajavelu said Mr. Ramesh had collected two interesting coins. One was a punch-marked silver coin, another one a gold coin of the late period. The punch-marked silver coin is rectangular in shape. The gold coin is circular. “It has been identified as the Syrian gold coin with Arabic legend. The gold coin belongs to Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 697 CE. Apart from these, two copper coins were also found at the site. They are circular in shape. They belong to the medieval Chola period,” he said.