Artefacts with Tamil-Brahmi script unearthed at Keeladi to find a special place in museum

Potsherds with graffiti unearthed at Keeladi excavation web site in Sivaganga district
| Photo Credit: ma20Potsherds

The upcoming museum at Keeladi would home varied artefacts with Tamil-Brahmi scripts and graffiti engraved on them related to that of Indus Valley script. These artefacts had been unearthed throughout the many seasons of excavations.

The sixth block is designated for showcasing artefacts that fall beneath the life-style class. The first flooring has been earmarked for the artefacts that justify the excessive degree of literacy prevailing throughout the Sangam age, stated R. Sivanantham, Commissioner (in-charge), State Archaeology Department.

They embrace the numerous path-breaking findings reminiscent of potsherds inscribed with graffiti – which is a preliminary writing expression of the Iron Age folks, undeciphered indicators related to that of the Indus Valley script in addition to names in ‘Tamili.’

“For the naked eye, it may be a mere scratch mark but it holds much more value”, say archaeologists.

According to the State Department of Archaeology’s (SDA) publication in 2019, Keeladi: An Urban Settlement of Sangam Age on the Banks of River Vaigai, ‘Tamili’ – the Tamil-Brahmi script – was dated to the fifth century BCE earlier than the Keeladi findings pushed it again to one other century – sixth century BCE.

The report contains a comparability of 5 Keeladi graffiti and Indus indicators which are fairly related. Graffiti marks had been prevalent between Indus script and Brahmi script. Mr Sivanantham famous that over 1,500 and 60 artefacts with graffiti and Tamili inscriptions respectively have been unearthed thus far in Keeladi excavation clusters.

The graffiti on pots, earthenware, urns, bone instruments, iron weapons, and in caves and rocks close to the excavation websites are essential findings which induces debate of the date of Tamil-Brahmi.

Many graffitis could also be indicative of the urns belonging to the identical household, say archaeologists. The fish image which was each an artwork and as a ‘sign representing a clan, has been unearthed as well. Many post-firing graffiti sherds were unearthed as well which indicate they were engraved by the owners or individuals after purchasing the pots, since they differ largely.

Common Sangam era names such as Aadhan, Eyyan, Udhiran, Thisan, Sathan, Senthanavathi on potsherds have been unearthed. A six-lettered Tamili word that reads as kuviraṉ-āta etched on the shoulder portion of a broken black-and-red ware could be a name of a person with an ṉ at the end. A surprise find of a Prakrit name gives way to explore the possible existence of trade links between Keeladi and Sri Lanka as well.

According to the SDA report, “One of the sherds carries the vowel ‘o’ at the start of the title which is never discovered in each cave and pottery inscriptions.”

Mr Sivanandam stated that a methodical examine or analysis by a Chennai-based analysis library in alliance with SDA is underway to set up a hyperlink between Tamil Brahmi script and Indus valley script.

Potsherds with graffiti unearthed at Keeladi excavation web site in Sivaganga district
| Photo Credit:
ma20Potsherds