Artefacts recovered during the excavation of ancient sites at Sivakalai and Adichanallur were displayed during the visit of Commissioner for Archaeology T. Udhayachandran on Friday.

Mr. Udhayachandran visited the sites to ascertain the progress of the work that began on May 25.

The excavators, comprising 20 officers from the Department of Archaeology and research students, have so far recovered more than 100 articles including burial urns, terracotta stand for pots, human jaw with teeth, iron rods and Tamil-brahmi scripts inscribed on broken potsherds from 26 pits in Sivakalai and 72 in Adichanallur.

Of the 31 burial urns recovered from Sivakalai, 19 have been opened for collecting materials, including paddy grains, kept inside. In Adichanallur, 24 urns have been excavated along with terracotta bangles, terracotta hookah and drainage pipes. Director of Archaeology Prabhakaran explained to Mr. Udhayachandan about the excavated articles.

Writer Muthalankurichi Kamarasu appealed to Mr. Udhayachandran to publish the findings in 24 languages as was done for the discoveries at Keezhadi.

In Adichanallur, Mr. Udhayachandran visited the Pandiaraja temple hillock and the pits dug in the area. A skeleton, which was excavated from one of the pits in Aditchanallur, has been sent for carbon dating.