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Adichanallur
- 12 Dec 2025
- 1 min read
The Madras High Court has firmly barred any sand mining in or around Adichanallur, one of India’s most significant Iron-Age archaeological sites.
- Adichanallur is one of India’s largest and most important Iron Age–Megalithic urn burial sites, situated on the banks of the Thamirabarani river in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu.
- Material Culture: First identified in 1876 by F. Jagor and later excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the site has yielded extensive burials containing pottery, iron tools, bronze vessels, gold ornaments/diadems, beads, and human skeletal remains.
- Cultural Significance: The site closely matches descriptions in Sangam literature of urn burials (tali), grave goods, and Iron Age funerary customs, providing strong archaeological evidence of early Tamil cultural traditions.
- Urn Burial System: This system involves placing the dead inside large urns (funerary pots) and burying them in carefully cut pits, often accompanied by grave goods.
| Read more: Iron Age and and Urbanization |
