Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? Contemporary history writing towards balanced historiography (5)

Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? Contemporary history writing towards balanced historiography (5)

The contemporary history writing and historiography: The problems and dangers in writing contemporary history have been pointed out by the European and American writers. They have been mostly delving upon the World War I and II and the ideological power struggle involved. How the war crimes and related problems have been dealt with by NATO and WARSAW ideologists, the economic blockades and fiscal sanctions. Incidentally, a Communist writer pointed out the danger in writing the contemporary history[1]. Another view can be read here that of Ramachandra Guha[2] and also his yet another version here[3]. However, in the Indian context, the Indians have to face contemporary historiographical attacks both from outside and as well as inside. They have been still facing physical and ideological attacks from many such ideological groups. They have been eloquent in blaming others, but, less constructive in giving ways and means positively for the betterment of India. As Indian historians and historiography have already been ideologized and working in groups, their writings cannot be unified, but giving different versions, but, ultimately the dominant version prevails and the weak slowly die down.

Do historians cover all historical subjects with ideology?: Indians include thousands of groups of people engaged in a variety of job, work and avocations. During the last 3000-2000-1000-500-100 years, definitely much has affected them in many aspects, the Indian society formed and existing has been with certain specific culture, tradition, heritage and civilization. The A to Z of duties and responsibilities[4] can be studied under different categories (these are given only for illustrative purposes and not exhaustive):

• Science, technology
• Mathematician, astronomer, geology, cosmology, cosmogony,
• Law, acts, rules, judiciary, jurisprudence
• Education, schools, colleges, universities, specialization
• Health, medicine, diseases, hospitals
• Agriculture, seeds, cereals, oil,
• Ores, metals, metallurgy, utensils, bronzes
• Cotton, silk, yarn, weaving, textiles,
• Cattle, milk, milk products
• House, house construction, materials
• Temple, construction, sculptures, artisans, sculptors, stone worker,
• Artist, painter,
• Food, cooking, preservation of food
• Ruler, king, emperor, dynasty, chieftain, politics,
• Tax, cannons of taxation, exemption, exports, imports,
• Boat, ship, building, inland water transport, oversea navigation

Historians, history-writer, historiographer, archaeologist, or any other related experts do not cover all the subjects.  They may call themselves as Marxist, pro-Marxist, anti-Marxist, subalternist, left, right, centre, nationalist, anti-nationalist, non-nationalist or any other expression, they have been arguing, counter-arguing, etc., for many decades, without concluding but going on blaming others.

The available contemporary evidences should be preserved: Definitely, the available contemporary and Indian evidences should be preserved:

• The Mail, The Hindu, Indian Express (English dailies), Swadeshamitran, Navamani, Dinathanthi, Dinamani (Tamil dailies), Kalki, Ananda Vikatan, Kumudam, Kalkanu (Tamil magazines) contain day to day news of 19^th and 20^th centuries. Therefore, all such dailies in e-format should be made available to the public and researchers.
• Accordingly, the events and news of 1900 onwards had been well recorded.
• Even old photographs and cine-films contain the then existence condition of popular places, roads, buildings etc., that may add more evidence for history writing.
• The narratives 70-80-90-100 years old people should be recorded immediately, before they leave us with data and information.
• Audi alteram partem meaning “listen to the other side”, or “let the other side be heard as well”. Hence, the all sides, both sides or the other side of the events could be known and analyzed.
• Knowing the facts, they should be allowed to record for the posterity.

How to get Indian history completely?: For convenience, and familiarity, the Madras presidency, Madras and Madras related events, personalities and issues have been taken up for discussion. In the same way, the problems and facts of each state, important city and local leaders can be taken up, so that the whole India would be covered and such narratives can be compiled for future generations:

• As Indians have been divided based on language, region, religion, ethnicity and other factors, they have been compartmentalized in groups.
• However, there have been celebrations, festivals, tirta-yatras, going on 24×7 basis -unite all Indians and they are not controlled by any ideology.
• The print and electronic media now exposes many interesting facts of celebrations, festivals and events to the viewers and they could understand how they are in common, though, the names and places differ.
• Naturally, Indian culture, tradition, heritage and civilization unite them in all such gatherings.
• That they are Hindu need not be a communal factor, but, historical and therefore, such interpretation should be stopped in historiography. The common people of India not only do not know such interpretation and they do not bother also.
• That majority of Indians has been carrying on their activities with all the 1000 years disturbances etc., prove some inherent resilience among themselves.
• Therefore, the criticizing historians, disparaging historiographers and condemning writers should recognize such intrinsic resistance, innate spirit, inborn confidence, or inbuilt strength.
• As the biographies, autobiographies of leaders, scientists etc., have been published, the history of others can also be published, so that the current and as well as the future generations know them.
• Time will decide, who will be remembered for long and forgotten.
• The responsibility of all writers, speakers and lecturers should be to unite Indians.

Regional separatism, linguistic enthusiasm and state exclusivism should not affect India’s unity and integrity: As crores of Indians living far away from each other, yet enjoy the food, music, cinema, and so many other common things, with the modern connectivities, they can still come together. As armed forces have such spirit, all Indians should have unified feelings. If the regional parties, leaders and ideologists still want to question the Indian unity and integrity in different way, they would be only misleading the people of the respective state. The central-state relations would also be affected with such confronting attitude and verbose. Thus, the fellow-Indians of other states also could get affected with such confronting states creating uncomforted conditions. However, now in modern times, Indians of all states have been united together in many ways. Their relationships have been there in every state. The IT and similar jobs have made them to go different parts of India and work. Thus, millions have already been settled in other states during the last 75 years and they have already been converted to local conditions, speaking local languages and following customs.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

15-05-2024

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[1]  Rajani Palm Dutt, Problems of Contemporary History, 1963. Book published by Lawrence and Wishart (London, 1963).https://www.marxists.org/archive/dutt/1963/contemporary-history.htm

[2] Guha, Ramachandra. “The challenge of contemporary history.” Economic and Political Weekly (2008): 192-200.

[3] Ramachandra Guha, The Challenge of Contemporary History, Historia 54,1, Mei/May 2009, pp 112-128.

The author notes, “A somewhat different version of this article was published in the Economic and Political Weekly I am grateful to André Béteille, Sumit Guha, Mukul Kesavan, Sunil Khilnani, Srinath Raghavan, James Scott and two anonymous reviewers for their comments.”

[4] In Indian context, duty is always connected with responsibility, accountability and liability and therefore, the individual discipline is expected much that helps the growth of family and society.

Note- the graphics have been added to create awareness how anti-Indian forces, ideologists and writers have been working…..

History, Science and Technology of South Asian Ceramics – The Proceedings of the Third International Conference in Commemoration of Iravatham Mahadevan 2024 (2)

History, Science and Technology of South Asian Ceramics – The Proceedings of the Third International Conference in Commemoration of Iravatham Mahadevan 2024 (2)

06.01.2024, Saturday academic proceedings: The session II was about “Graffiti and inscribed potshred” chaired by Prof. Massimo Vidale held between 10-11 AM with the following papers:

Ceramic Chronologies of Tamil Nadu: An Overview by K. Rajan and R. Sivanantham: Rajan presented the paper, delving upon the following: In recent years, Tamil Nadu witnessed tremendous progress in field archaeology. The recent excavations conducted at Pattaraiperumpudur, Vadakkupattu, Perumbalai, Budhinattam, Kodumanal, Vembakottai, Keeladi, Algankulam, Adichanallur, Sivagalai, Korkai and Thulukkarpatti supported with intensive explorations provided certain basic information on the ceramic sequences.

The ceramics are unearthed in two contexts, one from the settlement which is used in day-to-day life and another from the graves, mostly ritual in nature. Though both settlement and grave met with black-and-red ware, but it needs to be understood in the given contexts. Likewise, our understanding of the stratigraphic positions of various kinds of ceramics, namely white painted black-and-ware, plain black-and-red ware, black slipped ware, russet coated ware, rouletted ware, NBP and other wares such as torpedo jar, amphorae, Arretine, Turquoise Glazed pottery, etc., encountered in Early Historic Tamil Nadu need to be analysed in the backdrop of inscribed potsherds.

More than 10,000 graffiti inscribed potsherds and more than 1500 Tamili (Tamil-Brahmi) inscribed potsherds have been unearthed to date. These were engraved with personal names on the shoulder portion of the pot, a social context marker. In the same way, there is a region-specific ceramic such as russet-coated ware, which are found only in Kongu region of Tamil Nadu.

However, its presence in other regions reflects its commercial or cultural contacts. Thus, they attempted to understand the contextual position of each ware and their stratigraphical and chronological settings based on the data collected both from excavations and explorations.

He started cautiously what is early historic, iron, or Neolithic – is a big issue as for as the Tamilnadu is concerned, yet conclude with the following results:

Megalithic – 7000-3000 BCE

Iron Age – 3000-700 BCE

Early historic – 700-300 BCE

When the north India was enjoying copper age, south India Iron age and were contemporaries

The Tamilnadu early historic period goes much before Asokan  period.

Ceramics in the Indus Tradition: Technology, Gender and Ideology – Jonathan Mark Kenoyer: The long trajectory of pottery making documented at the sites of Mehrgarh, Nausharo and Harappa provide a unique opportunity to understand the changes in ceramic technology over time in the Indus Tradition. During the Regionalization Era, or Early Harappan Phase (5500-2600 BCE) the production of pottery in Baluchistan and the Punjab regions will be examined in terms of its association with household crafts and later household industry. During the Harappa Phase of the Integration Era (2600-1900 BCE) Indus ceramic production became quite diversified and involved a wide range of production modes, from household industry to mass production of common wares for use in the urban context. There is also evidence for highly controlled workshops producing elite symbols of power, such as stoneware bangles. Various types of production were involved in these different workshops, including hand building, coil and slab construction, moulds and carved pottery. The firing was also carried out in different types of kilns, including covered pit kilns, updraft kilns and high firing reduction furnaces. During the Late Harappan Phase or Localization Era (1900-1300 BCE) new production technologies, pottery styles and kilns were introduced. The role of women, men and children in ceramic production over time will be examined using comparisons with ethnographic data as well as the study of fingerprints and footprints on pottery. The production of pre-firing and post-firing graffiti on pottery as well as pottery decorative motifs will also be discussed to show the possible role of women in the development of writing and ideological symbols that became important during the Harappa Phase.

11-11.30 AM – Address  by Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director – IIT Madras: He could not come, because of his pfeoccupation.

Prof. Amitabh Pande, Director – Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya MoU Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department and Deccan College Post-Graduate & Research Institute: The MoU documents exchanged between the parties.

11.30-12.00 Noon Tea and Inauguration of Live Potters’ Workshops: The workshop was conducted demonstrating how the man-made and wheel-made potteries were manufactured.

12.00-1.30 PM Third session Tradeand Culture contact:  The third session was chaired by Prof. K. Krishnan and the following papers were presented:

The Manifestation of Rouletted Ware – Dayalan Duraiswamy: [not presented today] Rouletted ware is a deluxe ware of the early historic period. The continuous rolling motion of the roulette produces the patterns. These decorations are found on black, grey, red and black-and-red wares. The distribution pattern of rouletted ware in India shows a concentration all along the eastern coast, mainly in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. This pottery is also reported from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Oman and Yemen – a strong association of the ancient maritime trade centres. Thus, it is important evidence for exchange between South and Southeast Asia from the 3^rd century BCE to the 3^rd century CE. Initially, this pottery and/or rouletted technique was thought to have come from the Mediterranean. However, later evidence substantiated that the pottery was produced somewhere in Asia. He discussed the probable origin, evolution and diffusion of the ware, the nature of the fabric, types of rouletted or chattered decoration, and its regional variation, dealing with the comparative study of the geochemical analysis and the archaeological data of the pottery from various sites.

Impact of Roman Wares on Indian Early Historic Ceramics Repertoire: Stratigraphic, Visual and Typological Analysis  – Sunil Gupta: Dealing with the occurrence of Mediterranean pottery in the stratigraphy of Early Historic sites in western and southern India, he started comparing with the IVC. Mortimer Wheeler observed in his report on the excavations at Arikamedu, the coastal trading station on the Tamil coast, that the ‘uninterrupted’ occurrence of Mediterranean amphorae in the Arikamedu strata signified regular Roman sea trade in the BC-CE transition as compared to the ‘spasmodic’ Ptolemaic ventures to India. Similarly, another well-known archaeologist, M.S. Subbarao of M.S. University of Baroda, was of the view that the appearance of the fine Red Polished Ware at a certain point of the Early Historic horizon in western India was indicative of Roman trade contact, the allusion being that the fine RPW derived from the deluxe Roman red wares. H.D. Sankalia voiced the same opinion as Subbarao, dividing the Early Historic stratigraphy at the site of Nevasa on the basis of the appearance of Mediterranean amphorae and the Fine Red Polished Ware. He  emphasized that the initial separation or demarcation of Mediterranean derived red wares in Early Historic India is stratigraphic more than visual or typological. From this stratigraphic understanding, it is possible to examine closely the various Roman red ware and amphorae imports as well as a range of fine red wares which appeared suddenly on the western coast of India and triggered a red ware tradition which permeated into northern and peninsular India. In fact, the red fabric techniques were adopted in the terracotta tradition, with Roman inspired doubled moulded figurines appearing in western India. He intended to demonstrate with the aid of stratigraphic profiles, drawings and photographs and some site videos played in the workshop.

Ceramics and Interactions in the Early Historic Indian Ocean Region  – Selvakumar V: Ceramics is one of the well-preserved materials indicating long-distance cultural interactions. Ceramics were traded as commodities and also they were used as storage containers for commodities. Ceramic wares and other glass wares were used by the sailors and traders and some of them were also probably traded. Amphora jars were used for the transport of wine, olive oil and fish sauce. They are distributed across several sites in South Asia. Similarly, West Asian ceramics such as TGP and ovoid jars are found at several sites. Rouletted ware and associated ceramics are one of the widely distributed ceramics materials of Indian origin. Inscribed ceramic sherds are also distributed across the Indian Ocean suggesting the nature of the individuals who travelled across. Terra sigillata is reported from a few sites in South Asia. These ceramics are mostly found in coastal port sites and market centres. He discussed the patterns in the distribution of ceramics in the Indian Ocean region with a specific focus on South Asia.

He responded to the querries:

How these goods were imported and exported so that they were available at the different places?

Scientific analysis done on the ceramics point to a common source.

Changing colour of the ceramics – oxidation and reduction for ging red and black colous.

The significance of black and red colour potteries.

Next session was chaired by Sunil Gupta.

Introducing Diversity in South and Southeast Asia Cultural Exchange: Combined Analyses of Ceramic and Ornament Technological Systems Bérénice Bellina and Aude Favereau: Research on commercial exchanges has long been dominated by texts and exotic imported products, leading to a homogenous and elitist view of the groups involved; commonly mercantile and/or religious elites. More rarely have studies focused on imported common/everyday craft products or those produced locally and involving exogenous stylistic and/or technical elements (i.e., ’hybrid’ products), which are indicative of different modes of interaction. Moreover, studies of different assemblages are often compartmentalized: local vs imported, ceramic vs ornaments. However, every configuration of industry provides different information, such that the comparative analysis of technical systems enriches interpretations. This is particularly the case for pottery and stone ornaments omnipresent in ports and their hinterlands. This paper offers a diachronic synthesis of comparative studies of the different categories of ceramic and ornament assemblages from Southeast Asian ports and related to South (imports, hybrid, inspired), providing a chrono-technological sequence spanning almost a thousand years. Do the proportions of the different categories of imports vs hybrids vary over time? Are there changes in the production systems (raw materials, technologies used, etc.)? If so, what can be inferred about the South and Southeast Asian groups using them and their cultural interactions? This research shows how cross-fertilising studies of the technical systems of ceramic assemblages and finery enrich our understanding of both South and South-East Asian groups, the exchanges they had with each other and how they evolved over time.

From the East to the West: Investigating the Presence of South China Sea Ceramics in South Asia – Aude Favereau: Research on the movement of people and goods from the Mediterranean world to China via South- and South-East Asia aroused a great deal of interest, particularly on cultural exchanges that occurred by the end of the 1st millennium BCE and the beginning of the 1st millennium CE. Evidence of contact between communities in the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea basins during this period highlighted complex cultural interactions involving the exchange of artefacts but also the dissemination of technologies and styles. But what about the circulations from East- and South-East Asia to South Asia? Were there imported ceramics or vessels used to carry commodities? Are South China Sea ceramics known in South Asia? She proposes –

(1) to review the ceramics of South Asia reported in the literature as being potentially linked to the East and to assess what is known about these vessels in South-East Asia;

(2) to introduce a selection of ceramic types that circulated widely in the South China Sea and that are also found at sites facing the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar to question whether these types travelled up to South Asia; and

(3) to make inferences about interactions and exchange activities during pre- and protohistoric times.

Torpedo Jars of Mesopotamian Origin at Vadnagar – A Tale of Interaction During the 1st Millennium CE– Abhijit S. Ambekar, Ananya Chakraborty and Amol Kulkarni: Recent excavations at Vadnagar have identified certain ceramic traditions dating back to the 1st millennium CE. This period witnessed the appearance of new wares such as Red polished ware, Coarse grey ware, Black burnished ware, and among imported ceramic types -Torpedo jar sherds and turquoise glazed ware (both non-Indian in origin). Among these, the latter distinct ceramic types indicate a relationship of the Indian subcontinent with the Western world (including Mesopotamia) and its overall cultural and economic connections through seaborne trade. The significant quantity of torpedo sherds discovered across various locations and cultural layers at the site highlights a considerable demand and supply to Vadnagar. Torpedo jars had likely served as vessels for transporting liquid commodities such as wine, oil, or other valuable food items over long distances. The presence of such a large number of torpedo jar specimens not only entails substantial import demands but also implies the affordability of the inhabitants residing in an urban centre such as Vadnagar. These findings collectively indicate a sense of prosperity among the town’s residents and direct or indirect commercial ties with neighbouring regions and the Western world over a millennium.

Next Stephen Koob chaired the session – IV, “Terracotta, stoneware glazing and residue analysis,” and the following papers were presented.

A Matter of Colour: An Insight into the Colouring Technologies of Indian Glazed Ceramic Tiles -Maninder Singh Gill: Glazed ceramic tiles in medieval to pre-modern India were coloured and decorated using a relatively restricted palette of colorants. The glaze colorants were typically oxides of metals – either natural minerals or synthetic products – of which the oxides of cobalt and copper were the most frequently used to obtain shades of blue. Other colorants used include oxides of manganese for purples and synthesised compounds of lead and tin for yellows and greens. The colorants were added to a fritted glaze or, at times, painted over the ceramic tile body, before the firing sequence. Published results of scientific investigations indicate that the colorants and colouring technologies have specific distinguishing regional characteristics. This paper, which combines available analytical findings with evidence in historical records, enables inferences to be drawn on the original materials and technologies of glaze colouration, and assists in elucidating artisanal practices that were being followed for the glazing of ceramics at that time.

Which Way Forward for South Asian Ceramic Sociology? Three Vignettes from Medieval Mewat – Mudit Trivedi: Ceramics encode and mediate relationships. Through these mediations these ordinary objects influence and determine our social relationships. They inform how we cook, eat and store foods and shape our notions of self, other and relation. South Asian studies of ceramics have attended to distinct aspect of Ceramic Sociology in several different ways: through detailed ethnoarchaeological studies of production communities, through equally detailed studies of the skills and learning demanded in standardized production, through discussions of the role of caste in ceramic production, use, exchange and formal variation and by developing multivariate techniques for the recovery of distinct sociological patterns of ceramic use. Yet, a typological, formal and technical focus often outweighs the potential of ceramic sociology in South Asian archaeology. This paper will provide a review of ceramic sociology in the context of both South Asian archaeology and archaeological theory more widely. It will then review exemplary case studies. In addition, drawing upon fieldwork in the region of Mewat (Rajasthan), which provides insight into profound ceramic changes over the medieval era it poses and explores the following questions: What is a midden? What architectural arrangements inform ceramic social relationships? How do we understand the coming of glazed wares?

Ceramic Residue and Indian Archaeology, the Past, Present and the Future – Kalyan Sekhar Chakraborty: Since its first application in the 1970s, lipid residues absorbed and adherent to the surface of unglazed ceramic vessels have provided crucial information on foodways and ceramic utilization. Ceramic residue analysis is a technique that extracts and analyses the microscopic and molecular remains of food items to reconstruct the nature of food items that were once processed, stored, served, and consumed in unglazed ceramic vessels. Despite the robustness of this technique and its successful application across the world, its application in Indian Archaeology is far from adequate. In those few attempts where ceramic residue analyses were incorporated into Indian archaeology, they were primarily carried out abroad. In this presentation, he discussed the current status of its application, how this technique has solved some of the pertaining questions related to Indian archaeology, the future of this technique, and whether we should mainstream ceramic residue analysis in Indian archaeological investigation.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

06-01-2024

From Khambat to Kaveripumpattinam to Poompuhar – The excavation, exploration and underwater exploration and excavation!

From Khambat to Kaveripumpattinam to Poompuhar – The excavation, exploration and underwater exploration and excavation!

From S. R. Rao NIO to Ramaswamy and NIOT: S. R. Rao, NIO conducted excavations at the Tranqubar-Poompuhar coastal area during 1960s[1]. He also preliminary underwater exploration and excavation carried on during 1980s[2] and at that time, the TN Government was not so interested in pursuing further under the pretext of funds and other reasons. In fact, the then, CM off TN reportedly and sarcastically remarked, “You are going to prove that the city was submerged and the evidences are excavated, but, our literary evidences already say that.” However, the TN archaeologists, historians, Dravidologists and “myth-makers” always talk glory about submerged cities off Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean off the south. The “Kumarik kandam” has always been favourite topic for them. Anybody, who does not support or talks against it would be dubbed and branded as “the enemy of the Tamils,” “traitor, renegade” and so on. The report of S. R. Rao with all details can be be read from this book[3]. Now SM Ramasamy has brought out details dating the city back to 15,000 YBP, relying upon Grahm Hancock[4].

The Sangam Cholas capital and Port city: The celebrated ancient port capital of Chola is situated on the confluence of the river Kaveri and the Bay of Bengal.  It is believed that the ancient city of Poompuhar was submerged by the sea which finds a detailed description in Manimekhalai. The archaeological explorations have brought to light a large number of evidences indicating the partial submergence of the ancient town. A few brick structures have been found in intertidal zone and explorations in 5 m water depth yielded the evidence of rolled pottery which suggests that some part of habitation was submerged. A shipwreck dated to late 18^th century CE has also been found off Poompuhar in 19 m water depth[5]. This shipwreck is yielding a large number of lead ingots. Tranquebar another site about 15 km south of Poompuhar has remains of Chola, Ducth and Danish period. There is a fort of Dutch settlement at Tranquebar which has been partially submerged in sea. This is an indication of shoreline changes during the last 300 yrs. 

Poompuhar or Kaveripumpattinam: The NIO gives this narrative on Poompuhar[6], “Poompuhar, the submerged ancient port city situated in modern-day Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu, might have existed 15,000 years ago, and not 2,500 years ago as was earlier believed”, researchers at the department of remote sensing of Bharathidasan University (BDU) have said[7]. No sample, however, has been collected or dated. A group of researchers from NIOT have been publishing papers in “Current Science” and other journals[8], jointly and individually on the same and similar subject for the last five years[9]. Earlier studies had established that Poompuhar, also called Kaveripoompattinam, had maritime trade links with South East Asia and Egypt, before it disappeared from the maritime map around 1,000 years ago[10]. “While initially it was believed that the port city that gained prominence during the Chola dynasty was around 2,500 years old, the latest study based on offshore explorations and geological features interpreted on the sea floor estimates it was at least 15,000 years old,” the university said in a press release[11].

Poompuhar and Khambat: If scientific dating confirms the estimate, Poompuhar could be the oldest known ‘town’ in India and, arguably, across the world. Similar undersea explorations in the Gulf of Cambay off the Gujarat coast in the early 2000s had discovered a lost city believed to be the ancient Dwaraka, then dated to 7,500 BCE (which predates Mohenjodaro by 4,500 years). Actually, the NIOT announced the discovery of objects and the dates of them recovered during dredging operations at the Khambat. When the discovery was briefed by Dr Murali Manoher Joshi, a Physics Doctorate and Professor teaching physics. However, as he was a BJP Minister at that time, his briefing was criticized and the dating of the objects etc., were questioned by the leftists historians. Even Iravatham Mahadevan reacted to it[12]. Just like “submerged 15,000 years old Poompuhar city,” a submerged city was described with the material evidences recovered. 

Research done in 2019 with NIOT-ships: The Poompuhar study, sponsored by the department of Science and technology and technically supported by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), found structures that could’ve been a harbour, dockyards, human settlements and a lighthouse, around 40km from the present coast, at a depth of 50m-100m. Sometime in the middle of 2019, when scientists on board Sagar Tara and Sagar Anveshika, research vessels from the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), neared Poompuhar off the Tamil Nadu coast, they knew they were floating over history. Just that they didn’t know how old the civilization, whose remnants lay about 100m beneath their feet, was. Poompuhar, the ancient Tamil port city lost to the sea, was earlier believed to have been about 2,500 years old, when the Chola kings set sail to capture distant lands in the east.

The 15,000 years – is assumed: Now, the research team from Bharathidasan University’s Department of remote sensing says they have reasons to believe it was 15,000 years old. The study, sponsored by the Department of science and Technology and technically supported by NIOT, compared offshore exploration findings near the Poompuhar coast with sea level data generated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In the next phase, NIOT will collect samples from the sea to substantiate the findings. The team said the geological features of the sea floor – a harbour, dockyards, human settlements and a lighthouse -have matched sea level conditions that existed 15,000 years ago.

Research carried on with Remote sensing methods: “Poompuhar had a harbour that sprawled over 11km in length and 3km in breadth, with breakwaters and canals to handle and store merchandise. We have found evidence of a primitive dockyard that could handle 70-80 ships at a time,” S M Ramasamy, professor of eminence and national coordinator, Project Poompuhar, Bharathidasan University, said. The university has published the part on harbour in the journal ‘Current Science’. D Rajasekhar, head, NIOT vessel management cell, said the team studied around 6,000sqkm and found most of the ruins at a depth of 25m to 50m below the seabed. A multibeam echosounder attached to the ship was used to study the variation in depth of the sea (bathymetry). Based on data collected by the echosounder, a sub-bottom profiler mapped the seafloor. In the next phase, NIOT will deploy a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to capture images.

Photos taken by remotely operated vehicle (ROV): “We have completed a trial run with an ROV, which was attached with a camera and a sonar. We plan to collect some coring samples,” he said. The study found rowed settlements with compound walls and geological evidence of pits dug on the seafloor. Remains of an ancient lighthouse were found at a depth of 50m, with a spiral staircase and causeway pillars having a design like the Cleopatra lighthouse of Egypt. So, how did the old city go under? Ramaswamy said the region was prone to floods, tsunamis and accelerated impact of sea level rise and cyclone-induced storms.

Poompuhar was relocated at least six times before settling down at the present place: “Poompuhar was relocated at least six times before settling down at the present place. Due to marine transgression, the sea might have reached the land till the present day Mayiladuthurai around 6,000 years ago and regressed later,” the project coordinator said. Around 12 government and private educational institutions including Tamil University, Annamalai University and SASTRA University will be engaged in further studies of the research. “The study will go on for another year and the findings will encourage a similar study to explore Kumari Kandam, a mythical lost continent in the Indian Ocean,” the research team said. (With inputs from U Tejonmayam).

Concluding remarks: Any way, going through all data and information, the following points may have to be kept in mind:

1. The Sangam literature has been dated from 300 BCE to 100 CE, and the Sangam period has been fixed accordingly.
2. Recently, based on the single C-14 dating of Keeladi sample, the 580 BCE date is claimed for the Sangam period.
3. Thus, the “historic period” of Sangam period is claimed to precede the Asokan period of 3^rd cent.BCE.
4. However, there has not been any inscription found comparable to the Asokan inscriptions, as the claim is made on few  “marks” found on potsherds.
5. However, there has not been any consensus among the historians and archaeologists, as the town formation and other material evidences do not go back to such 6^th cent BCE period.
6. Here, now no sample has been collected and therefore scientific dating cannot be thought of.
7. The “15,000” years claim has been far-feteched and has no historical basis.
8. No human habitation is proved for the different levels assumed for the existence of a city based on the photographs.
9. They also claim that they would excavate for “Kumarik kandam,” another myth floated by the Tamil protagonists and linguistic enthusiasts.
10. Under the guise of “scientific studies,” such claims need not be made and news created sending wrong signals to the general public.

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

22-01-2023 / revised 15-04-2023

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[1] S.R.Rao, Excavations at Kaveripattinam, Transactions of Archaeological Society of South India, Madras, 1965.

[2] S. R. Rao, Marine archaeological explorations of Tranqubar-Poompuhar region of Tamil Nadu coast, Journal of Marine Archaeology, Goa,1991, No.2, pp.5-20.

S. R. Rao, Underwater explorations of submerged towns near Tranquebar Tamil Nadu, Recent Advances in marie archaeology, Goa, 1991, pp.60-64.

[3] S. R. Rao, Marine Arhaeology in India, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi,  2001, See Chapter-VI – Discovery of Poompuhar submerged in the Bay of Bengal, pp.169-192.

[4] Hancock, G., Underworld: The Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age, Penguin Books, London, 2002, p. 741.

[5] https://www.nio.org/galleries/show/poompuhar

[6] Times of India, Tamil Nadu’s Poompuhar may be over 15,000 years old: Study, DEEPAK KARTHIK / TNN / Updated: Jan 21, 2023, 05:03 IST.

[7] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/tamil-nadus-poompuhar-may-be-over-15000-years-old-study/articleshow/97186246.cms

[8] SM. Ramasamy1, J. Saravanavel, K. Palanivel, C. J. Kumanan and D. Rajasekhar, Detection of submerged harbour using GEBCO and MBES data, in the offshore region of ancient port city Poompuhar,South India, Current Science, Vol.119, No.3, 10 august, 2020, pp.526-534.

Click to access 0526.pdf

[9] Lissa, M., et al. “Semantic data model for knowledge representation and dissemination of cultural heritage site, Poompuhar.” CURRENT SCIENCE 123.10 (2022): 1237.

[10] The Hindu, Ancient port city of Poompuhar traced undersea, claim researchers, S. Ganesan, January 20, 2023 10:12 pm | Updated January 21, 2023 06:10 pm IST.

[11] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/ancient-port-city-of-poompuhar-traced-undersea-claim-researchers/article66413969.ece

[12] Frotline, ‘Be sceptical, and not negative and destructive’, Interview with Iravatham Mahadevan. Published : Mar 30, 2002 00:00 IST.

https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/article30244518.ece

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – Commercialization of Archaeology, related issues (10)

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2^nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – Commercialization of Archaeology, related issues (10)

From the bible to crude oil: As for as the “west” is concerned, archaeology was born, encouraged and developed with the creation of myths related to their religious beliefs. There has been a separate subject, “Biblical archaeology,” and it is not known, is there any counterpart of such “archaeology” in other competing and competitive religions and faiths. Deluge, flood, Ark, cross, and so other subjects have been discussed archaeologically and volumes of reports and books produced. Whether Eve was created from Adam or both created individually, they married together as brother and sister or born separately so that they could marry and beget children, yet the children split and speak different languages.  From the Paleolithic to the modern men are found in many places. Now, the demand is for crude oil, as from which only, common men get LPG, petrol, diesel etc., and not from the archaeological diggings, DNAs, or chromosomes or by calling man white or black, Aryan or Dravidian…….etc., Two world Wars were fought and millions were massacred in the name of race, racism and racialism. Even today war is going on in the name of peace, petrol and production of weapons.

From “white and black” to “Aryan and Dravidian” the problem continues: If the past 300 years period is divided as 1700-1800, 1800-1900 and 1900-2000, or  1750-1800, 1800-1850, 1850-1900,  1900-1950 and 1950-2000, the origin of human has not been settled with in spite of the scientific approach was / is applied, methodology adopted and studied samples even in the laboratories of high orders. From morphological to internal, blood to blood cells, cells to neurons, DNA to chromosomes, the principles of race, racism and racialism consciously work in the minds of the faithful researchers, dedicated experts and obedient technicians in laboratories.  In English, more verbose with scientific terms and terminology are / have been created, but the same old issues continue. Whether monogenetic or heterogenetic, out of Africa or out of Europe, the problem of Black or White remain the same. So for 50, 100, 200, or 300 again and again to prove the same hypothesis or theory, why more and more diggings, new laboratories and others are required? Common people have not got any benefit out such research and they are not worried also.

Why cut funds for Archaeological studies?: Globally, American and European Universities do not want to encourage archaeology, as the more and more such excavations are carried on in other continents, the more the extermination of the past civilizations, genocide and other crimes and acts of violence are coming out. They are not useful to the past-colonial masters and rulers. Under the economic exploitation of natural resources, the MNCs ae interested in pursuing more sites for getting natural resources like crude oil, gas and minerals. Therefore, when UK announced 50% cut for archaeology, some came out apologetically as follows. Under the caption[1], “Six Reasons to Save Archaeology From Funding Cuts,” what is discussed is – “Here are six reasons why archaeology has never been more relevant to society”:

1. Archaeology is (not( only about the past
2. Archaeology is a science
3. Archeology is a universal discipline
4. Archaeology can help shape a better world.
5. Archaeology is important to the economy
6. Archaeology is an excellent foundation for any career

Incidentally, in UK, archaeology hs become business – Companies working in development-led archaeology on average returned a profit (or surplus, for charitable organisations) of 2%. This low level of profit being reported across the sector is potentially unsustainable. 41% of respondents reported profits of less than 5% of the value of their turnovers, including several that reported annual losses of up to £482,373. The average profit/surplus per FTE member of staff was £3,663, the median was £2,550.

Large-scale development-led archaeology has changed the very nature of archaeological datasets. In addition to the familiar positive evidence of structures and deposits, there is now a wealth of ‘true-negative’ evidence: the confirmed absence of archaeological remains. Making good use of such data presents a challenge and demands new ways of thinking. Using case studies based on recent developer-led work in the UK, the authors suggest that focusing on ‘fingerprints’ of past human activity at a landscape scale provides a useful approach. The results argue in favour of changes to existing recording systems, as well as the need to integrate more fully both positive and negative evidence in archaeological interpretation[2].

Chartered Institute for Archaeologists: When archaeology has been commercialized, definitely the involved would talk only in the name of capital and investment, profit and loss and so on. Thus, in UK they have business working at different levels[3]. Research Ltd This project was commissioned by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers and funded by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers and Historic England.State of the Archaeological Market 2018 – This report has been prepared by Landward Research Ltd in its professional capacity as research, training and project management specialists, with reasonable skill, care and diligence within the agreed scope and terms of contract and taking account of the manpower and resources devoted to it by agreement with its clients, and is provided by Landward Research Ltd solely for its clients, the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers. It may be further distributed as the clients see fit if Landward is fully credited as the originator of this report and Kenneth Aitchison is fully credited as the author.

Archaeology as disaster capitalism: The “corporate / business / commercial archaeology” wants only making money and not interested in preserving the past. Archaeologists commonly sign non-disclosure agreements for the corporations and developers for whom they work, limiting their ability to communicate about the work being done. Thus, there is little opportunity for truthtelling. Our conclusions destabilized four conventional tropes that we learned in our formal state education in archaeology[4]:

1. archaeology is not about the preservation of sites and materials, but rather is about facilitating the destruction of heritage landscapes;
2. archaeology is not undertaken in the name of research to learn about the past, but is undertaken to fulfill legal and regulatory obligations in the present;
3. archaeologists do not have a responsibility to disseminate their results, except to their clients and the government; and
4. archaeology is not undertaken for the public good, but is instead a private, for profit enterprise.

Archaeology is a form of disaster capitalism, characterized by specialist managers whose function is the clearance of Indigenous heritage from the landscape, making way for economic development. When presented with this critique, archaeologists respond strongly and emotionally, defending archaeology. Anger emanates from and revolves around the assertion that archaeologists are not just complicit in but integral to the destruction of the very heritage they claim to protect. In what we believe is an act of philosophical and economic self-preservation, mainstream archaeologists actively forget the relationship between archaeology, violence, and the global heritage crisis. Securely defended by its practitioners, archaeology, therefore, remains an imperial force grounded in the ideology of growth, development, and progress.

Commercialization in Archaeology: Problems, Old and New: C. Ann Bauermeister[5], summarized as, “Archeology has long enjoyed popularity among the public. Such interest is an asset to the discipline, for it can generate the support integral to the profession and to the study of the archeological record. Unfortunately, the allure of archeology also has the potential to be . destructive to the archeological record. When archeology is viewed as a hobby is when problems can–and do–arise. The term “amateur archeologist” has been applied to nonprofessional or untrained persons who pursue archeological work. Why our profession is thought of as one where amateurs are welcome is not entirely clear, though perhaps it is due in part due to how archeology has been romanticized through entertainment mediums. This paper addresses the current situation regarding collectors or “amateur archeologists”. More specifically it focuses on the commercialization of antiquities, the problem with fake and replicate artifacts, and finally the role that the Internet now plays”. According to Murphy et al.[6], “commodification is the process through which objects of archeological value are transformed through market activities into commodities with monetary value and transferred from public ownership to private” (1995:39). The problems addressed is attest to the fact that this is indeed a dilemma. The role of collectors, the influx of fraudulent artifacts, and the Internet as a trading network are current issues that archaeologists will have to confront. Given the situation, they need to take a proactive stance against the commercialization of artifacts.

Outsourcing, ethics and handling of samples: Nowadys, privatization works in archaeology, archaeological excavation, collection, testing of samples, disposal of samples, commercialization of samples etc. thus, outsourcing has also come into play with engagement of workers (who do not know any archaeology), students (under the guise of giving training) and others (trained but contract labourers). L. M. Shaffer Raab and others pointed out that[7], “The client-oriented approach to contract archaeology is a technical service rather than genuine scientific research. Such an approach fails to meet the requirements of the law, fails to satkfy the needs of archaeological science, and frequently fails to Protect the client i interests. A client orientation encourages an excessive emphasis on profits from contract work. Profits not only exclude a balance of archaeological, client, and public interests but threaten the scientific future of contract work. Solutions to the problem of client-oriented work include better academic training as researchers, support for government archaeologists, a strong professional consensus on ethical and performance standards, and attention to public interests. [contract archaeology, client-oriented archaeology, research profits, research obligations, professionalism]”

“Hypotheses” presented as Conclusion: Three days sitting there and listening to many archaeologists, epigraphists, numismatists and related experts, make any serious researcher and ordinary person would definitely think, what is the use of the conference and the results, if any, proposed or made to understand by others.

• Iravatham Mahadevan honestly accepted, “neti, neti”= neither this or that, thus, no conclusive conclusion can be arrived at the decipherment of Indus symbols, pictograms and script like features.
• But, many have been discussing as if the script has been deciphered, it is finalized and so on.
• Most of the paper presenters have not come  with their results, but, went on asserting that their findings have not be conclusive, as they have been preliminary;
• samples have not been sent to laboratories for dating; and other fats are not revealed;
• still “hypothesis” is boldly mentioned in the last slide as “conclusion,” why then such one hour long discourse is required is not known. Therefore, it is evident that sill such “hypothesis” is forced o the viewers.
• The theme “Recent advances in archaeological investigations of South India,” has been ignored, neglected or forgotten more that 70% paper presenters.

Questions, discussions avoided, evaded and conference proceeded: When different scholars, experts and others are coming together, Thus, slowly, asking questions were discouraged and stopped also on the pretext of time. Every year, hundreds of seminars, conferences and workshops are conducted throughout India spending crores of rupees. But, again and again, the expects come out the same or similar results and conclusions that divide people based on language, literature, race, ethnicity and so on. For bringing people together and progress in other aspects, nothing is suggested, brought out or concluded with specific points. Here also with all the expertise, scholarship and research, directly or indirectly, most of the papers come to revolve around the question of “Dravidian, Dravidians, Aryan, Aryans, invasion, migration, vegetarian food, non-vegetarian food, Vattezguthu (round script[8]), Tamil ezhuttu (Tamil script), ” etc. More than 100 years such research was conducted, now also is being conducted, but, what is the use to the general public, the people of Tamilnadu and India.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

18-03-2023.

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[1] The U.K. government recently- 2021,  announced plans to cut its subsidy for English university teaching of the subject (along with many arts courses) by 50 percent because it is not part of the government’s “strategic priorities.” https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/reasons-to-save-archaeology/

[2] Thomas, R., & Darvill, T. (2022). What haven’t we found? Recognising the value of negative evidence in archaeology. Antiquity, 96(388), 955-967. doi:10.15184/aqy.2022.69

[3] https://www.archaeologists.net/sites/default/files/Archaeological Market Survey 2017-18.pdf

[4] Hutchings, R., & La Salle, M. (2015). Archaeology as disaster capitalism. International journal of historical archaeology, 19, 699-720.

[5] Bauermeister, Ann C. “Commercialization in Archaeology: Problems, Old and New.” (1999). University of Nebraska – Lincoln, DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1114&context=nebanthro

[6] Murphy, L.E., M.e. Beaudry, R.E. Adams, and J.A Brown  Commercialization: Beyond the Law of Above It? Ethics and the Selling of the Archaeological Record. Ethics ill American Archaeology. 1995

[7] Raab, L. M., Schiffer, M. B., Klinger, T. C., & Goodyear, A. C. (1980). Clients, contracts, and profits: Conflicts, in public archaeology. American Anthropologist, 82(3), 539-551.

[8] https://www.tamilvu.org/ta/tdb-titles-cont-inscription-html-vatteluttu-280369

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – 12-03-2023 – Maritime archaeological studies, prehistoric, epigraphy – etc (9)

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2^nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – 12-03-2023 – Maritime archaeological studies, prehistoric, epigraphy –  etc (9)

This after lunch session was chaired by T. Satyamurthy and the following papers were presented:

Arumuga Sitaraman presented a paper in Tamil about “Tamilga coins- recently discovered”:- Anakudi Arumugam Seetharaman has a collection of ancient Palani coins. One side of the coin contains the word “Palani” in Tamil. Details about these coins were presented in Numismatic Conference held at Trich, Tamil Nadu, South India. Arumuga Seetharaman from Thanjavur said “Parakramabahu and other Sri Lankan kings released various coins and finding them on a beach side is possible because most of the trade cities were situated near coastal towns,” he said. Commenting on Kachi Valangum Perumal coins, Seetharaman said that from Mahendravarman I of Pallava dynasty to the Tamil kings from later periods released special coins whenever a battle was won. Kanchipuram was called Kachi in ancient period. Based on the battle victory, the images in the coins changed like Fish (Pandyas), Tiger (Cholas) and in case of victory against Chalukyas, the image was a wild boar. “These Kachi Valangum Perumal coins have been found in the hinterland of Tamil Nadu that also indicates that kings ruled in those areas as well,” he said.

Sila Tripaty – Maritime archaeological studies along the Tamilnadu coast: An overview”: Perhaps, he summarized most of his already published papers, as I have been listening to him and reading his papers also many times, at different seminars and conferences.

Reinvestigation into the Neolithic of Tamilnadu, India: Perspective on the Celt manufacturing strategies[1]: Not only, the title of the paper has been very lengthy, but also, the paper presenters:

1. Kumar Akhilesh
2. Sutnauka Bhattacharyai
3. Prachy Joshi
4. A. Paranthaman
5. R. Sivanathan
6. K. Bakialakshmi
7. K. Rajan
8. Shanti Pappu.

Polished stone celts form a key cultural signifier of the Indian Neolithic/Chalcolithic, although continuing in time into later cultural phases. However, in India, celt manufacturing sequences are rarely studied despite their significance for investigating behavioural organisation, mobility and functionality amongst early agro-pastoral populations. Here we present new data from two celt-manufacturing complexes in Southern India, with a focus on the early stages of celt production at ‘quarry’ sites. We highlight diverse reduction sequences on slabs and flakes, with implications in terms of decision making in knapping strategies and spatial differentiation of activities across the landscape. We identify-three different reduction sequences focused on dolerite slabs and flakes, and granite/gneiss clasts. Spatial variability in reduction stages is observed in locations reflecting quarrying and early stages of knapping near dolerite dykes, grinding and polishing localities, and areas of final stocking/use and discard, distributed across the landscape. We also highlight the local reuse of celts by village populations in ritualistic contexts. We compare the reduction sequences noted at sites in the study region with similar sites in Southern India, thereby contributing to a wider perspective on celt-manufacturing technologies in India. Incidentally, this paper has also bee published and available here[2]. This study forms a part of a collaborative project between the Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu and the Sharma Centre for Heritage Education (SCHE), entitled “Exploration of Neolithic sites in Districts of Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore of Tamil Nadu”. It was funded by the Government of Tamil Nadu. We are grateful to Mr. T. Udhayachandran, IAS, Principal Secretary and Mr. Chandra Mohan, B., IAS, Principal Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu for providing……

S. Rajagopal read his paper on epigraphy in Tamil: Dr. S. Rajagopal, retired Senior Epigraphist, Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, was associated with Iravatham Mahadeva. He said Mahadevan aimed at perfection in his deciphering of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions. The Senior Epigraphist had travelled with him to rocky outcrops with caverns on hills at Anamalai, Tiruparangunram, Siddhar Malai, Mettupatti, Vikramangalam, Meenakshipuram (also called Mankulam), Kongarpuliyankulam, Arittapatti, Azhagarmalai, Varichiyur and so on and contributed in an important manner to Mahadevan deciphering the Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions. Mahadevan came up with novel methods in copying the inscriptions, Dr. Rajagopal said. Mahadevan would wear his joy on his sleeve when the inscriptions threw up important information, Dr. Rajagopal said, and narrated an incident. One of the three Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions at Muthupatti, near Madurai, mentioned the place-name Musiri and spoke about how a person named Kodan of Musiri made a donation in sculpting the Jaina beds in the cavern there. “Mahadevan was very happy and kept jumping with joy because Musiri or Musiris referred to the port in the Chera kingdom on the west coast and another inscription at Keezhavalavu, also near Madurai, mentioned the place ‘Tondi’, which was a port on the east coast in the Pandya kingdom,” Rajagopalan said.

Then, Shanti Pappu chaired the session, the following papers were presented:

Sunilkumar Patnaik presented paper on the excavations carried on the eastern coast sites: The excavations at the site of Asuradhipa in Odisha proved fruitful, as it brought to light some unknown aspects of the Neolithic-Chalcolithic period in the region. The excavations also proved useful in understanding how human adaptations to the local ecology and landscape processes underwent changes over a period of time. The site yielded a number of grounded and polished stone tools and a few bone tools, ceramics and faunal remains along with dwellings and activity areas. The excavations at the site were fruitful in providing new insights about the nature of Chalcolithic sites in coastal Odisha. The site has yielded hitherto unknown evidence of a kiln in the Chalcolithic period. The extensive use of stone at the site is also a unique feature since they were not known to be extensively used at other excavated sites. The site also gave some insights about dwellings, placement of hearths and also the use of vacant spaces outside the living areas. The recovery of many polished celts and adzes of different types also needs to be further studied. The similarity between the ceramic assemblage of the upper levels at Golbai Sasan and ADP suggests that the site at ADP might have come up at a later date. This coming up of new settlements in the landscape is important since it can be viewed as a part of the expansion of settlements over the landscape during this period. Though the excavations were on a smaller scale, the findings have brought to light many unknown aspects of the Chalcolithic period of the region. The site is also very important since the surveys in the vicinity have revealed fossils as well as palaeolithic artefacts of the Pleistocene period. This has thus opened a new dimension of research in these areas in the region. The Dhauli-Aragarh cultural complex is one of the important historical document spread over four hills on the either side of the river Daya near Bhubaneswar. There are so many cultural comlexs most of them belong to Buddhist antiquity are found along the East Coast on the river valleys of Ganges, Brahamani, Daya (Mahanadi),Vamsadhara, Godavari and Krishna.The archeological remains sofar documented on the above sreas reveals many intresting historical conclusions on trade and commerce,life and art and religion and philosophy.

braiding traditional knowledge and scientific practice…..

Then, a group from Australia presented a paper on “Braiding traditional knowledge and scientific practice”: Over the last years, several integrative fields of inquiry—such as systems science, resilience science, ecosystem health, ethnoecology, deep ecology Gaia theory, biocultural diversity, among others—have been advancing our understanding of the complex non-linear and multi-scale relationships between people and nature. To better enable us to tackle the multiple challenges facing the planet, our home, many of these fields of inquiry seek to develop respectful and equitable ways of generating knowledge about our relationship with the natural world through braiding traditional knowledge systems and conventional “Western” science. The use of multiple knowledge systems in environmental research can improve understanding of socio-ecological connections, build trust in research findings and help implement evidence-based action towards biodiversity conservation. Mobilizing multiple types of knowledge in environmental research and management can be beneficial; however, challenges remain. There is a need to understand how and where studies have woven IKS and Western sciences together in order to learn about frameworks and processes used, and identify best practices.

Finally, Jinu Koshy presented his paper, “Alienated depiction of elements- in Indian rock art – An indirect reference to human migration.”: Genetic studies of South Asia’s population history have led to postulations of a significant and early population expansion in the subcontinent, dating to sometime in the Late Pleistocene. We evaluate this argument, based on new mtDNA analyses, and find evidence for significant demographic transition in the subcontinent, dating to 35–28 ka. We then examine the paleoenvironmental and, particularly, archaeological records for this time period and note that this putative demographic event coincides with a period of ecological and technological change in South Asia. We document the development of a new diminutive stone blade (microlithic) technology beginning at 35–30 ka, the first time that the precocity of this transition has been recognized across the subcontinent. We argue that the transition to microlithic technology may relate to changes in subsistence practices, as increasingly large and probably fragmented populations exploited resources in contracting favorable ecological zones just before the onset of full glacial conditions.

India is located at a critical geographic crossroads for understanding the dispersal of Homo sapiens out of Africa and into Asia and Oceania. Here we report evidence for long-term human occupation, spanning the last ~80 thousand years, at the site of Dhaba in the Middle Son River Valley of Central India. An unchanging stone tool industry is found at Dhaba spanning the Toba eruption of ~74 ka (i.e., the Youngest Toba Tuff, YTT) bracketed between ages of 79.6 ± 3.2 and 65.2 ± 3.1 ka, with the introduction of microlithic technology ~48 ka. The lithic industry from Dhaba strongly resembles stone tool assemblages from the African Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Arabia, and the earliest artefacts from Australia, suggesting that it is likely the product of Homo sapiens as they dispersed eastward out of Africa.

Valedictory function: It went on as usual as to fulfill and complete the formality and there was no crowd as found on the first day or at the time of lunch and so on. The Feedback from the selected delegates were obtained, that too, as usual and they praised like anything. Of course, before reading papers, they did this well.  The “Collected papers” released by Sivanandam and received by T. Satyamurthy. Sivanandam gave his vote of thanks to conclude the conference. With National Anthem, the conference came to an end.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

17-03-2023.

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[1] Akhilesh, Kumar, Paromita Bose, Sutonuka Bhattacharya, Prachi Joshi, S. Paranthaman, R. Sivanantham, K. Bakialakshmi, K. Rajan, and Shanti Pappu. “Celts, Slabs, and Space: Organisation of lithic reduction strategies in Tamil Nadu, India.” Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 68 (2022): 101464

[2].https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278416522000721

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – 12-03-2023 – Maritime contacts between south India and SEA, temple structure, – etc (8)

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2^nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – 12-03-2023 – Maritime contacts between south India and SEA, temple structure, –  etc (8)

12-03-2023 – Sunday- Third-day session: First, the archaeology officers of the department presented papers about the excavation works carried on at different places for the year 2021-2022 with photographs, as announced by the organizer, Rajan.. These details have been reported in the media regularly and much publicity has already been given by the CM, Ministers, MPs etc.  Now, the following presented their papers:

1. Asaithambi – Excavation at Mayiladuparai, Krishnagiri dist, 2021-2022.
2. S. Paranthaman – Perumbalai excavation, Dharmapuri dist, 2021-2022.
3. Nandagopal, Gangaikonda Chalapuram,, Udaiyarpalayam, Ariyalur, 2021-2022.
4. Vasanthakumar – Tulukkarpatti, Radhapuram Taluk, Tirunelveli, 2021-2022.

After the presentation, Rajan also briefed about the excavations and informed that the officers were presenting their papers for the first time. About “Tulukkarpatti,” there was some discussion – how the place got the name, were thee any Islamic activities there and so on. Actually, V. Selvakumar started asking such questions.

Veena Mushrif Tripathy and Mhachami Ovung presented a paper on “Human skeletal studies on partial collection from Kondagai site, Tamilnadu: its future scope.”

Berenice Bellina presented her paper on “Early maritime exchange between South India and South East Asia – Mid 1^st Millennium BCE – 1^st Millennium CE”: During the period under study, India witnessed the emergence of several mature states: the Mauryas, Kushanas and the Guptas in North India, and the Satavahanas in the Deccan. South India also contained some powerful chiefdoms such as the Cheras, Cholasand the Pandyas, some of which emerged as urbanized kingdoms such as that of thePallavas, who ruled modern-day Tamil Nadu during the third/fourth to the ninth centuries CE. Despite the political plurality, what mattered for trade was the codification of crafts under guilds, which acted as banks and places for investment and the monetarization of parts of the economy, as shown by the wide range of coins issued by cities in different areas. Trade based on profit is well described in the Arthasastra, and an elaborate bureaucracy developed, especially in the Mauryan state. There was a considerable development of both overland and maritime trade routes, although with many regional variations in the organization of trade. The period also saw the rise of specialized trading communities (vanijas and setthis) in the middle Ganga Valley, dealing in salt, textiles, metals and pottery.

She was comparing the artefacts…

The newly spreading cults of Buddhism and Jainism accepted the accumulation and reinvestment of wealth; a concept quite alien to the culture of the earlier Vedic period in which reciprocal exchange of the “prestige goods” type had been the normal method of distributing exotic and luxury items. Long-distance trade between the agricultural hinterland of the middle Ganga Valley, ports such as Gange and Tamralipti in the Delta,and those at the mouth of the Narmada Valley on the west coast such as Broach (Barygazain the Periplus), developed rapidly at this time. The gem fields and gold-rich deposits of South India were quickly integrated into these trading systems.

analysis of industries, products….

With a lack of written records, we cannot analyse in the same detail as India, the structure of exchange within Southeast Asia for the thousand years from the fifth century BCE onwards. Good archaeological documentation is still scarce and we depend over-much on models based on analogies from more recent historical and ethnographic situations. For instance, Bronson, Wheatley, Wolters, Miksic and Wisseman Christie have all proposed evolutionary or structural models for Southeast Asian exchange systems.6 Although useful, these are generalized and abstract and, for the most part, lack firm support from empirical data from the past. However, we know that late prehistoric settlements of the second and early first millennia BCE in Mainland Southeast Asia regularly occur in small stream valleys which feed the major river systems.

locally produced goods with Indian technology……………………….

These, perhaps quite isolated, villages were linked by far-reaching exchange networks which saw marine shell ornaments being taken over 1,000 km from the coast, and copper and tin ingots and artefacts entering communities far removed from the ore sources. Marble, marine shell, serpentine and other rare stone material, ceramics and doubtless many perishable items exchanged hands along the river systems. As Higham makes clear, the middle of the first millennium BCE in southeast Asia was a period of profound economic, social and political change. The Iron Age in Southeast Asia was marked by increases in wealth and social complexity leading to powerful territorial polities. Large or valuable objects, such as Dong Son bronze drums and nephrite ornaments from Vietnam, arrived by sea to enter long-established exchange routes along the rivers. Thus, it is evident that intra and inter-regional exchange routes were well-developed before they were linked to the more developed South Asian trading systems. Wisseman Christie has argued for the emergence of three clusters of producer-trading states in Peninsular Malaysia during late centuries BCBC.7 But throughout most of Southeast Asia at this time, the highest level of political organization was what might be called chiefly society, or at best some nascent states in which and barter and gift-giving were likely to have been the principal modes of exchange, since there is no evidence for coinage. In central Vietnam, the Sa-Huynh Culture probably represented a culturally-related series of chiefdoms which were closely involved in overseas trade, as shown by the theSa-Huynh, or Sa-Huynh influenced, artefacts and urn burials widely distributed in the Philippines, northern Indonesia and parts of Thailand.

imports, exports common…

The technological study presented here concludes that the adaptation of what was perceived in foreign cultures as a carrier of modernity and sophistication resulted in the creation of a ‘trans-regional ’élite whose identity was based on common reinterpreted foreign cultural values and practices. This study has also identified some of the social groups involved as well as characterising the exchanges. In particular, it identified the circulation of Indian productions made to order, as well as the direct involvement of some Indian craft castes (the Brahmans). Both raise the question of the Indian response to South-east Asian demands. They imply that the South-east Asian agencies were far from passive in the process since they werein position to orientate the exchange by their specific orders.

trade guilds worked together……

The transfer of Indian politico-religious features as well as of manufacturing techniques imply periods of close and lasting interaction between India and South-east Asia. It is likely that the South-east Asian élite not only wanted to possess the status markers but also the means to produce them, such as the craftsmen who could transfer their knowledge or the Brahmans who could provide legitimising rituals. The identification of the possible presence of Indian craftsmen in South-east Asia, as I propose for the early port site of Khao Sam Kaeo, could provide clues on the modes of transfers and on the nature of interactions. Now it remains to define the stages of these interactions, a goal to which the study of the site of Khao Sam Kaeo could provide answers. This study of the earliest evidence for exchange between India and South-east Asia also anticipates an affect on the economy, urbanisation and state formation – matters which remain to be investigated.

With ceramic, glass, metallic artefacts found, she was pointing out that there were contacts between the trading people of the Coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal and that of the SEA countries. The artefacts were locally manufactured perhaps with the expertise received from the Indians, as they exhibited clear Indian influence. Even required raw materials could have been imported from India that included Ceylon / Sri Lanka in those days. An alliance among / between the ports of Bay of Bengal could have also been existing, as the traders were moving periodically from the Indian coasts and travelling across the ocean to reach SEA countries and China also. The trade guilds that existed clearly point to such fact.

Ramakrishna Pisipathy – Recent Archaeological investigations in Lower Palar river: Palar is a river of southern India. It rises in the Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapuradistrict of Karnataka state and flows 222 km southeastward through Tamil Nadu before reaching its confluence into the Bay of Bengal at Vayalur about 100 km south of Chennai. Of the seven tributaries, the chief tributary is the CheyyarRiver and the Vegavati. Kanchipuram, one of the ancient cities is located on thebanks of the Palar and Vegavti river.Kanchipuram (13.40’N & 76.25’E 12.98°N 79.71°E,) is one of the important centers and hub for many satellite centers with urban features in the south by the time of early centuries of the present era. Like all ancient cities in India,Kanchipuram is also situated on the banks of river, Vegavati, a split channel ofthe Palar river which is connected to the Bay of Bengal (east coast). It has anelevation of 83.2 m (273 ft) above sea level and the flat land with slopes towards the south and east. All suitable geographical setup of the region has been utilized by the human beings from the very beginning. Recent studies are further strengthening the potentiality of the region in not only as an early lithic centre but also a hub of continues human activities in the region, even till now.

V. Selvakumar – Architecture of Southern India and roof-tiles of Historical period: he described various roof-tiles used in different periods starting with prehistoric period. Of course for such period, there was no evidence. Fr Neolithic and other periods were also, roof might have been there, but not tiles. With the existing medieval structures, he was trying to interpret that older structures too had such tiled-roof. Here also his interpretation that “Katrali” to have a roof was a privilege and so on.

Santhalingam (on-line), Madurai. Recent epigraphical evidences in Pandyanadu: He was interpreting with different inscriptions.

Shanti Pappu – Excavations at Sendrayanpalayam (SEN), Tamilnadu: New perspective on the Lower Paleolithic: They have been doing the work for the last 25 years with facilities of laboratory and studies. They have been carrying out prehistoric excavations, research, teaching and educating with training also. They have been excavating at different pprehistoric sites by locating using scientific methodology. The “Site” itself becomes crucial in archaeology, to definite and realize specifically.  Sendrayanplayam is about a two-hour-drive from Chennai in southern India. The Sendrayanpalayam site is fairly well-preserved and represents a slightly different environment relative to Attirampakkam. Studying more such places could help show when and how humans came to live and adapt in south India.

Kumar Akhilesh, Mohamed Sahrumi, Prchi Joshi and Shanti Pappu – Excavations at Senarayanpalayam (SEN), Tamilnadu: New perspective on the Lower Paleolithic:..The group presented the above details in different perspective…and most of these details are available in the internet.

Ansumali Mukhopadhyay – Indus script signs for gold, gold measuring unit, and treasury: Taxed commodities and tax collecting entities encoded in Indus inscriptions: Taking some symbols, she tried to interpret .Ansumali Mukhopadhyay  has alredy published the same and similar papers and they are available in the internet for downloading. S. Kalyanaraman and others have also been working on the same lies for more than 40-50 years and their published papers and books are also available.

Satyamurthy taking the example of Veppattur temple, he explained how an old temple existed…..

The depilated super structure on an elevated place….

T. Satyamurthy: Architectural tradition of Tamilnadu: Distinctions and recent trends: Temple structures could not have come into existence suddenly. There must have been many processes of evolution for such structure to come into existence. Based on the inscription of Mahendr varman (610-630 CE), “This brickless, timberless, metalless and mortarless mansion of Laksita was caused to be made by king Vicitracitta for Brahma, Isvara and Visnu”, it is believed that temple architecture came into existence in Tamilagam only during 7^th cent.CE. So here, except metal, other materials are perishable and hence during the course of times, they were disappearing and temples rebuilt. There are many references in Sangam literature about the existence of structures. With the Veppattur depilated temple taking scnned pictures, three-layered paintings, size of the bricks used etc., he proved that the Sanpam period temple was in existence and it was abandoned due to some reason and now, it has been renovated and restored.

he compared the super structure, bricks etc.,

how it existed through, Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagara………..is shown with evidences…..

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

16-03-2023.

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – 11-03-2023- Animal remains, ideology, orientalism etc (6)

Recent Advances in South Indian Archaeology – The 2^nd International Symposium in memory of Iravatham Mahadevan – 11-03-2023- Animal remains, ideology, orientalism etc (6)

Arti Deshpande talked about the animal remains…..

says these topics are not dealt with……………………

she started explaining the megalithic burials………………….

the principles involved………………..

all animal remains have been given to their laboratory………………………………….

they study them to identify the animals and listed…………………………

with the bones,bone pieces,cut marks on them…etc….interpretations are made……………………………

Arti Deshpande – animal remains of Tamilnadu: Prof Peddaiah had to make his presentation on-line, but, as there was some technical problem, it was delayed. It was postponed to after lunch session. Again, there was some delay, therefore, the paper reading session started with Arti Deshpande and the session was headed by Marxia Gandhi. Arti Deshpande was trying to delve upon the animal remains found at different sites. She claims that the Subject was new in Tamilnadu, it has not been studied by others so far. Archaeology of Tamilnadu, the human burials were studied under all types of megalithic monuments, but not much attention as given to the excavated animal remains. She claimed that Lack of information about what they were eating during ancient period and the archaeo-zoology domestication of animals, deals with such issues. Excavations have going on at different places and samples were sent to them for study ..work is going on and her observations are preliminary…only lab in south Asia, all international; protocols are followed…..Therefore, he was making this paper even visiting the sites, as she was telling. She was showing slides with photographs giving the statistical details of animals…She-goat found more than he-goat exploited as could be noted from the recovered bone pieces.

Observation: However, it has to be mentioned that the Sangam literature has been vivid with the different flesh, meat and animal products eaten by them and there have been published papers also. As long as the human activities have been going on, such remnants are bound to occur.

Prof Peddaiah- on-line – ideology, orientalism etc: There was a lot of delay before his starting speech…..his voice was not clear, his paper was not distributed to follow him. He used no slides. …it appears that he was talking against ideology etc.. Researchers in Asia, Africa and other parts of the world that experienced prolonged periods of colonial rule by European powers may adopt divergent intellectual positions regarding the nature and extent of the contribution made by the colonizing powers to the study of the historical past and cultural heritage of their respective colonies. Perceptions of this contribution will have to take into account a variety of factors such as the nature of the colonialism practised in a given region, the ultimate motives and interests the colonial rulers had in mind while initiating studies of the region’s past, the world-view of those who actually conducted the studies and, of course, the time-depth and character of the past available for study. Moreover, evaluations of the role played by Europeans, far from remaining static, will undergo periodic revisions resulting from changes experienced in academic perspectives in general, and even changes in the world order from time to time. ……..

The question of the social relevance of the study of the past is one which historians and archaeologists in India can no longer overlook. Public attitudes towards the study of the past, the role of the mass media and museums in bringing knowledge of the past to society at large, and the use of the study of the past for discussion and the display of power in professional institutions are other questions which, sooner or later, Indian archaeology will have to confront.  Did the study of India’s archaeological heritage exert any influence of its own? The answer is once again positive. The magnificent discoveries of the last century, involving scores of prehistoric and historic sites, won for the country a high degree of esteem and respect among European archaeologists—an attitude of mind which many parts of Asia and Africa clearly failed to evoke.

Observation: Whatever, he wanted to convey, he could have told openly without mincing words. Moreover, most of the audience was very indifferent and they were not listening to him also.

Alok Kumar Kanungo headed the next session and the following presented their papers:

she has been studying this for many years……………………………..

Sharada srinivasan on iron and steel of Tamilagam: The iron and steel artefacts uncovered from the sites Adichanallur, Tamilnadu, Kadebakele, Karnataka and other places in southern India span the early phases of occupation radiocarbon dated from 800 to 400 BCE. These site has been excavated by a collaborative team from the respective Departments of Archaeology. The site was occupied from at least the early 1st millennium BC until the early centuries CE. Radiocarbon dates from the Iron Age period span from c.800 to 400 BCE and it is thought that iron/steel artefacts from these levels may rank among the very early well-dated examples of higher carbon steels. Cementation, case hardening and forge hardening are several terms in use to describe essentially similar processes. Wrought iron produced by the bloomery process could be carburised by heating it in charcoal for a long time. Typically this lasted several days, resulting in the solid-state absorption or dissolution of carbon into the wrought iron. This process is very slow because it is a reaction in the solid state. Pieces or sheets of wrought iron were packed with charcoal or other organic materials into a closed refractory container and heated between 1050-1100ºC from five to seven days. This process could result in the incorporation of varying degrees of carbon between 0.6 and 2%. It would have resulted in a heterogeneous steel of intermediate composition. Such diffusion is less likely to have resulted in a homogenous steel of higher carbon content. The steel thus produced could have been evened out by hammering, annealing, and folding the steel many times over. There was always a significant decrease in the carbon content away from the exposed surfaces. The stringers from the slag remained in the final steel causing brittleness.

Cholas’ bronzes………………….

Decarburisation dilutes the carbon content of cast iron. This can involve the mixing of wrought iron with molten cast iron. In China, the heating of bundles of cast and wrought iron together followed by forging and heating led to complete diffusion and  homogenisation. This would result in the partial melting of cast iron. Some carbon would diffuse into wrought iron that was repeatedly forged and heated again. The finery process breaks cast iron into small lumps, followed by heating to high temperartures in an oxidising air blast. The iron melts and carbon burns out as carbon dioxide and the decarburised iron droplets sink to form a bloom below the hot zone.

technical details explained……

It is generally believed that the original crucible steel-making technique was developed primarily in India leading to wootz steel. The use of iron was well established in south Indian megalithic cultures by at least about 1100 BC at sites such as Hallur in Karnataka. The megalithic site of Kodumanal, ca 300 BC, in Tamil Nadu may have been a site for ferrous crucible processing. After the forging of swords at high temperatures, an important step in hardening blades lies in their being quenched. This step is important because it enables a martensitic transformation to take place in the steel, which contributes to improved toughness and strength. One of the methods that Indian blacksmiths seem to have used for quenching, is to plunge the red hot blade into the tree trunk of a banana or plantain tree, one of the most universal of Indian trees which is full of sap, which was followed by cooling it overnight.

traditional manufacture of bronze, brass, …….articles……………………

Tamil Nadu Process: Some of the earliest metallurgical finds to date are those found in Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu – now stored in the Government Museum, Chennai. For her research, Prof Srinivasan studied these artefacts quite closely. She studied these metallic artefacts under an electron microscope, only to find an intricate, perforated design that could only be achieved through the use of sophisticated metallurgical processes. This means those who made the alloy not only knew exactly what they were doing but had perfected the method through trial and error. Previously, alloys like these were thought to be made either by fusing cast iron and wrought iron or by adding carbon to wrought iron through various means. But it has been difficult to find clinching evidence to prove with certainty which technique made the ultrahigh-carbon steel of the Tamils all those centuries ago. she states that her research has indicated that this type of high carbonaceous steel could only be achieved by packing the iron blooms with carbonaceous materials like wood, and firing the furnace at high temperatures, not less than 1,400°C for a long time.

Her field study……..

Mel Siruvalur: An alloy of copper and tin, the bronze from the forges in Adichanallur was also rated very highly.Adichanallur’s beta bronze had a very high percentage of tin, some 23%. This composition increases the malleability of the alloy, which can then be worked on to a considerable degree at high temperatures, followed by rapidly cooling, improving the tensile strength and tonality of the bronze……… they could create alloys with such high proportions of tin was by heavy hot-forging. That is, the temperature of the crucible in which the alloy was made had to be very high and consistent…..Investigations on the crucible fragments of Mel Siruvalur have shown that these crucibles are made of ‘hypereutectoid’ or ultra-high carbon steel.

Smriti Haricharan – Archaeological landscape of Amur: The site Amoor / Amur near Siruthavur has been in news very often, as it is continuously vandalized by many people, regularly for various reasons. The archaeologists used to lament and the media used to carry even full page articles, but, such vandalism continues. Incidentally, the archaeological research also continues with the site coming out with more and moe papers being presented at the international conferences and even published in the form of books.

Siruthavur Siruthavoor lies in Kanchipuram district, situated along the northern coast of Tamilnadu, India and is adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. The area in which the Iron Age-Early Historic burials are located is bounded by the Siruthavoor lake (tank) towards the south and a hillock of around 31m asl towards the north, with a smaller hillock (below 15m asl) to the east. The geology of the area is represented by Archaean to Precambrian crystalline formations such as charnockite, granite gneiss and ultrabasic rocks, overlain by Mesozoic and Tertiary sedimentary rocks (Rajmohan & Elango 2005). Most of the megalithic burials at the site are built using charnockite, granite gneiss and lateritic rocks. Exploration, mapping and excavation were conducted at the site from 2007–2009. Although innumerable burials have been destroyed at this site by sand quarrying, over 500 burials remained during the survey. Of these, 166 were of the cairn circle type, 141 were dolmens, 157 were dolmens within a stone circle, 38 were cists and 57 were of cist-withcircle type. The urn burials were harder to map since most of them have no stone appendage visible on the surface. Eight burials were excavated. Burial 1 was a cairn circle type; burial form and fabric difficult. Most of the anthropogenic disturbance of the burials at Siruthavoor was in the area around burials 2 and 3. A large percentage of what remains of the burials in this area indicates that they were cist burials. The surface material collected is similar to the material excavated in burial 3 including iron objects, carnelian beads and pottery (Figure 8). Between burials 2 and 3 and burials 4, 5 and 6, large boulders are indicative of possible dolmen type burials, but the surface finds here are very sparse.

points out the dating methods…

how laboratory dates differ………………….

Morethekoi – on-line: When potteries were sent for TL dating, different dates are obtained. Therefore, samples from the same layer, were sent for C-14, they gave different dates. Thus, both methods do not tally. He was pointing out that the TL dates given for potteries do not tally with the dating of the objects found at the same stratigraphy who dates are found to be different as dated by C-14. In other words, the dating by these two do not tally with each other. Therefore, error analysis done to correct the error that is supposed to have occurred in dating the pottery.  

this or that…………………….source…………………

which it right or wrong?…..

error analysis to rectify differing dates for the same sample…………………………………

these are the dates………………………………………………………..rectifications…………………………..

.

Observation: When lot of things are talked about the scientific study of archaeology, multi-disciplinary approach, engineers started studying archaeological objects, etc., it is right time that the details of samples recovered from the excavated sites sent to the laboratories, results obtained etc., should be available to the public, as different claims are made in the media by the involved. Many times, such media reports are exaggerated and turning out to be manipulated also. Therefore, transparency should be maintained.

their team with foreign links……………………..

G. Kumaresan – on-line: He presented his paper on “Exploring the Genomics, proteomics and organic molecules of the excavations from Tamilnadu.” Says that they are having a laboratory to study the excavated materials from Keeladi, Sivalai, Konthagai etc. He was explaining about the team, advisors, consultants, the laboratory etc with slides.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

14-03-2023.