ASI unearths 3000-year-old city near Madurai

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in an ongoing excavation project at Keezhadi, a small hamlet in Sivaganga district not too far from Madurai in Tamil Nadu, has uncovered and dusted off a crucial part of Tamil history. [caption id=“attachment_2409268” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational Image. ASI website[/caption] At Keezhadi, an obscure village, has now become a site of historical importance as ASI has excavated one of the “biggest human habitations of Sangam Age known so far”, according to a report in The Hindu. “Through comparative dating, we place this site to be belonging to the 3rd Century B.C., which is over 2,500 years ago. However, the exact age can be arrived at only after carbon dating,” the report quoted Amarnath, who has worked on excavations in research of Indus Valley Civilisation in parts of Gujarat, as saying. ASI started excavating the place in February, 2015, and the project so far has been a great success. The habitations found are square shaped trenches, dozens of them, and historians are excited about the findings. According to a report in The Better India, the settlements could belong to the Pandya era of the Sangam Age. The report says that antiquities like glass, pearl, terracotta beads and early historic pottery has been found at the excavation site, which could help redraw Madurai’s past. The excavation is being conducted at a private coconut farm. Who would’ve thought that a 3000 year old city was waiting to found under coconut covers.