Adichanallur Archaeological Site

Adichanallur Archaeological Site is one of the oldest civilized sites in Tamil Nadu. Adichanallur is located in Thoothukudi district on the banks of the river Thamiraparani which flows in the Thiruvaikundam circle. This archeological site is located at a distance of about 24 km from Tirunelveli on the way to Thiruchendur.

The site is associated with a pre-1600 BC civilization. It is one of the first towns to be excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India. Numerous studies have been carried out on the Urns buried here. The site was first excavated extensively by Alexander Rea in 1903-04. He explored in 1890s and discovered 1800 objects in the first phase of research. This study continued until 1904. He found and displayed more than four thousand antiquities in it. With the development of science at that time, he estimated the period of Adichanallur as 3000 BCE – 1500 BCE. He also published a article entitled “Prehistoric Antiquities of Tinnevelly”.

One hundred years later, in 2004-05, under the leadership of Mr. Sathyamoorthy, the study was conducted in four phases. Bronze items were more available. Alexander Rea’s study also found that bronze and iron were more abundant.

Two items found in the Adichanallur excavations were sent to the Archaeological Laboratory in the United States where radiocarbon dating was done. The age of one of the objects is 905 BCE, the age of another revealed as 791 BCE.

Vignesh Srinivan

Archeological Studies researcher