THOOTHUKUDI: Archaeologists working at the Sivagalai archaeological site have unearthed potsherds with 'graffiti,' which signals the possibility of a Sangam era settlement to have existed on the site. Such potsherds had been found from other Sangam-era archaeological sites as Keezhadi (Madurai), Kodumanal (Erode), Vallam (Thanjavur), Alagankulam, Patharai Perumputhur (Chennai) among others, said experts.
The State government commenced excavations at the Sivagalai archaeological site May last week.
After unearthing over 26 urns from a burial site, archaeologists moved to a nearby mound called Valapanpillai Thiradu two weeks ago in search of remains of a settlement. So far, no urn had been identified at Valapanpillai Thiradu. The findings from here were all related to households, sources said.
According to Excavation Director (In-Charge) of Sivagalai archaeological site T Thangaraj, they unearthed five different pieces of potsherds with graffiti from a depth of between two and three metres in the first trench of Valapanpillai Thiradu, which is five metres high. The Valapanpillai Thiradu is likely to have been a settlement of Sivagalai since it is located half a kilometer from the burial site, he added.
"The potsherds have scratches, termed graffiti. The potsherds are of different shapes and could not be pieced together," he said. Graffiti is an early form of script, he added.
The archaeologists had discovered broken pieces of black ware, black and red potsherds, shell bangle, stone hammer, beads, and many pieces of animal bones from Valapanpillai Thiradu. No bricks or a building structure, however, was found. On finding the graffiti, the archaeologists said that the findings signalled the possibility of a habitation site.
"We are happy about the discovery and expect Tamil Brahmi scripts at a depth of seven metres," said Thangaraj. So far, no ancient settlement had been identified at Adichanallur and Sivagalai archaeological sites. Adichanallur is located a few kilometers away from Sivagalai and is being excavated simultaneously.