CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) on Saturday released a status report of Keeladi excavation work.

"The ninth phase of excavations at Keeladi in Tiruppuvanam taluk, Sivaganga district commenced on April 6 2023. So far, nine quadrants have been excavated and 183 antiquities have been discovered that includes gold ornament, finely shaped terracotta animal figurines, terracotta spindle whorls, gamesman, hopcotches, glass beads, antimony rod, copper needle, bone points and iron nails. From different stratified deposits, charcoal and bone samples were collected for scientific analysis, " said a release from TNSDA.

Elaborating the status report of the Keeladi excavation work, the TNSDA Joint Director R Sivanantham said that initially four quadrants were excavated and about the depth of 35 cm a heavily compact, rammed mud flood built with mixture of clay and lime.

"The floor was observed to have 3 to 6 cm thickness. Below the floor, when dug deeper, the quadrant is observed with a dump of more than thousands of potsherds made of black and red ware, red slipped ware and red ware. Moreover, perforated ware, white painted ware, russet coated ware and rouletted ware potsherds were also unearthed beneath the floor. When these potsherds were analysed hundreds of graffiti marks like fish, ladder, geometric and non-geometric symbols were identified, " he added.

Furthermore, during excavations at Kondagai during the fourth phase, the trench measuring 10 * 10 was excavated and revealed a total number of 17 urn burials at three different strata.