The unearthing of carbonised paddy at two places – Agaram (near Keeladi) and Sivagalai in Thoothukudi, during the recent excavations by archaeologists of the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, is likely to throw light on the advanced techniques used for irrigation during the Iron Age, and the economic prowess of the civilisation at that time.

While carbonised paddy was found on the stratified surface at Agaram, it was found in an offering pot at Sivagalai. These are to be sent to labs for carbon dating and identification of the grains – whether they are rice or millet or any other type of grain, and whether they were local grains or imported grains, as this will throw more light upon the life of the people during that period.

The carbonised paddy found in a sealed pot -- an offering pot -- was apparently part of a ritual. A senior professor of Archaeology, who did not wish to be named, told The Hindu that the carbonised paddy found in the pot is commonly referred to as a ‘single time deposit’. Once the carbon dating test is done, it could throw more clues into the subsistence pattern during the Iron Age.

A senior official in the Archaeology Department said there is a possibility that the paddy might not have been burnt properly during the ritual and ended up carbonised. “When the results of the testing come, it will show how the paddy became carbonised,” the official said.

“The carbonised paddy shows that people were having agricultural activities, and they were using replantation techniques. It is also possible to find out whether they were using re-plantation technology that could have helped increased agricultural production in the same area, what sort of irrigation methods were used and whether they were using wet cultivation,” the professor said.

According to him, once the paddy is identified and if it leads to a finding that there was wet cultivation, it could further show that people had settled in a place, had some sort of a pastime, recreation, rituals, family system and labour systems. “All these could be reconstructed,” he added.

Among other finds at the sites were various semi-precious stones. The carbonised paddy could point to the economic capacity of the civilisation as well, he said. “From where was this wealth generated to purchase the gem stones? These are questions that can be answered as well,” he said.