Archaeologists at the Keezhadi archaeological site in Tamil Nadu’s Sivagangai district have unearthed a creative artwork of wells with multiple terracotta rings. This comes days after the team unearthed dozens of plain ring wells, dating more than 2,000 years old, indicative of the ancient water conservation technology. The set of ring wells, unearthed on July 5, were found at a depth of 146 centimetres. These are made of terracotta, with each ring 44 cm tall and 77 cm wide. These rings also feature two embossed rope decorations. The second set of terracotta rings, which were unearthed on July 15, were found at a depth of 411 cm.
A release from Archeological Department said that the top band of decoration of the terracotta rings are thumb-pressed and inside the thump impressions, they have dotted designs on the south-facing ring. “In due course of the excavation, two more courses of the terracotta rings were exposed and the overall height of the ring well so far traced is 84 cm. The height of the second ring is 19 cm and the third ring is 18 cm respectively. The rings are observed to have been interlocked within one another,” said the department, adding that it plans to continue further digging to trace the rings beneath.
Apart from the terracotta rings, the release said, “The archaeologists unearthed weighing stone made of beryl, hemispherically shaped with flat base observed to weigh lesser than one gram. Besides terracotta seals, iron bill-hook, iron nails, small copper ring, stone axe, bone points and miniature terracotta objects were also unearthed.” The archaeologists discovered potsherd with graffiti marks from Keezhadi archaeological site.
The Tamil Nadu government is currently conducting seven archaeological excavations in various sites, including Keezhadi and its clusters of Sivagangai district, Adichanallur, Sivagalal and Korkai of Thoothukudi district, Kodumanal of Erode district, Gangaikondacholapuram of Ariyalur district and Mylamdumparai of Krishnagiri district.
On July 12, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Minister for Rural Development KR Peiryakaruppan, along with Madurai MP Su Venkatesan, inspected the excavation site at Keezhadi. Addressing the reporters, Minister Thennarasu said that the findings of the excavation show that urban civilisation was thriving in the banks of Vaigai. He said, more than 700 items have been excavated till now.