Explained: Thamirabarani River Civilization In Tamil Nadu Dating Back 3,200 Years

In a development that has the potential to rewrite the history of the Indian subcontinent, a US-based lab has carbon-dated the remainings discovered from an ancient civilization in Tamil Nadu to at least 3,200 years.

According to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, the lab, Beta Analytic which studied organic materials like paddy and soil that was found in an urn, discovered during an archeological excavation near Thamirabarani river in Thoothukudi district's Sivakalai to be at least 3,200 years old.

At least 3,200 years old

¡°The finding has established that the Porunai River (Thamirabarani) civilization dates back to 3,200 years. It is the task of the government to scientifically prove that the history of the Indian sub-continent should begin from the Tamil landscape,¡± Stalin said in the assembly.

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The results of the Beta Analytic Testing showed that rice and soil existed dates back to 1155 BCE. The report was released by the laboratory on August 27. This is the oldest civilization perhaps, older than the Vaigai civilization which is believed to be 2,600 years old.

He said the findings of artefacts at the excavation sites proves that the civilisation existed prior to 4th century BC.

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Stalin said a silver coin that was found at the Keezhadi excavation with sun, moon engravings belong to 4th century BC, that is prior to the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka's period as per the opinion of numismatics expert Susmita Basu Majumbar of Calcutta University.

Archaeological excavations are being done at Kodumanal, Keeladi, Korkai, Mayiladumparai, Sivakalai, Adichchanallur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Tamil Nadu.

Stalin said as per the carbon dating of artefacts, the Keeladi civilisation dates back to 6th century BC proving that Tamilians were learned even then.

That Korkai was a port city in ancient times was an established fact through earlier excavations. Now broken black pot pieces of Gangetic plains have been found at Korkai.

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Experts have concluded that Korkai might have served as one of the important ports even before the 8th century BC.

Officials said the Mayiladumparai excavation and its associated findings observed at Varatanapalli and Kappalavadi prove that the Neolithic people carried out agricultural activities 4000 years ago.

Looking beyond the sub-continent

With Tamil Nadu trade links extending till Egypt and Oman in ancient times as per artefacts found in those countries and Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola conquering South East Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam archaeological studies will be conducted in those countries with necessary permissions.

Similarly archaeological studies will also be undertaken in other Indian states like Andhra Pradesh (Vengi area), Karnataka (Thalaikkadu), Kerala (Pattanam) and Palur in Odisha to understand the antiquity of Tamil civilisation.

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Studies will also be conducted in the port of Musiri, now known as Pattanam in Kerala to look into any possible links to the ancient Chera kingdom.

Reclaiming history

Apart from excavations, exploration projects -- Neolithic and Documentation of Rock Art -- are in progress in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department is re-establishing the cultural history of Tamil Nadu through scientific studies.

The Department is collaborating with Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow and French Institute of Pondicherry to understand the palaeoclimate; a DNA analysis is being done in collaboration with Madurai Kamaraj University, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences and Chicago University to understand the origin of Tamils; Metallurgical analysis is being done in association with National Institute of Advanced Studies to understand the iron, steel and high tin bronze technology; Ceramic analysis is being carried out with the help of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam and Pune University.

The Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 5 crore in its budget for archaeological findings.

The government will also set up a museum at an outlay of Rs 15 crore at Tirunelveli showcasing the artefacts found during excavations at Adichchanallur, Korkai and Sivakalai.

Links to Indus valley civilization

There have been several claims about the roots of the Indus valley people, one of the oldest known civilizations in the world. One of them is that it was Dravidian. Several past findings have suggested that the people of Indus valley had several commonalities with what was later identified as Dravidian. This included language, food habits, and arts.

According to some historians, graffiti found in the Indus Valley civilization and those found in Tamil Nadu are about 80% identical.