Carbon dating of artefacts unearthed during recent archaeological excavations in Tamil Nadu has confirmed that the use of iron in the region dates back to more than 5,300 years ago, making it the oldest recorded Iron Age in India. These findings shed light on the advanced nature of ancient Tamil civilisation and its early adoption of iron technology.

The results of this significant research are based on accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating techniques. These analyses were conducted on cultural deposits from key archaeological sites, including Adichanallur, Sivagalai, Mayiladumparai, Mangadu, Thelunganur, and Kilnamandi. All of these findings have been compiled in a detailed report titled ‘Antiquity of Iron,’ published by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA). According to the report, the evidence strongly indicates that the use of iron was not imported from Western regions but was independently developed in India.

Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, MK Stalin, formally released the 73-page report, which contains data from AMS and OSL analyses performed by internationally renowned laboratories. The data has been validated by ten leading experts from across the country. Additionally, the Chief Minister unveiled findings from independent dating research conducted by scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad. These findings revealed that two burial urns unearthed from Sivagalai have been dated to approximately 4,400 and 4,500 years ago, further substantiating Tamil Nadu’s rich and ancient history.

Scholars have pointed out that these findings suggest the existence of a contemporary Iron Age civilisation in southern India, which coexisted with the Indus Valley civilisation in the north and northwest of the subcontinent. The report adds, “When cultural zones located north of Vindhyas experienced Copper Age, the region south of Vindhyas might have entered Iron Age due to limited availability of commercially exploitable copper ore.” This observation highlights the unique trajectory of technological development in the southern part of the country.

In an important revelation, the Tamil Nadu archaeology department stated that more than 90% of the ancient graffiti marks discovered at 140 archaeological sites across the state show parallels or striking similarities with symbols from the Indus Valley civilisation. The Indus Valley civilisation flourished between 3300 BCE and 1300 BCE, hinting at cultural connections or shared influences between these regions.

The findings also introduce a new hypothesis suggesting that the Copper Age in northern India and the Iron Age in southern India may have occurred simultaneously. In total, five artefacts from Sivagalai in the Thoothukudi district underwent analysis. Among them, a potsherd was dated to 685 BCE, while a paddy sample from a burial urn was traced back to 1155 BCE. Additionally, three iron artefacts were dated between 2953 BCE and 3345 BCE, establishing their connection to the early 4th millennium BCE. Dates obtained through OSL analysis from a single grave ranged from 2459 BCE to 2590 BCE.

The chronological estimates for key archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu, such as Adichanallur (1800-905 BCE), Kilnamandi (1769-1615 BCE), Mayiladumparai (2172 BCE), Mangadu (1604-1416 BCE), and Thelunganur (1435-1233 BCE), present a significant timeline of early iron technology in the region. Among these, Mayiladumparai, with its date of 2172 BCE (approximately 4,200 years ago), was identified in 2022 as the earliest evidence of iron technology in India. This discovery redefined previous assumptions, as earlier dates for iron technology ranged from 1500 to 2000 BCE, occurring after the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.

At the Sivagalai site, a burial ground, several urns containing iron tools, such as axes, sickles, and daggers, were unearthed. These tools indicate that iron was being used during that era, as confirmed by R. Sivanantham, a joint director in the Tamil Nadu archaeology department. To further substantiate these findings, charcoal samples from some urns were sent to an independent laboratory in Miami, Florida, for radiocarbon dating. One such sample was found to be between 5,320 and 5,460 years old, demonstrating the advanced use of iron in the region. However, these findings are still awaiting peer review and publication in a scientific journal.

According to former ASI Director General Rakesh Tewari, these discoveries mark “a turning point” in Indian archaeology. He explained, “Once it appeared that when Indus Valley was flourishing in the western part of the country, other areas did not have contemporary cultures. But now things are changing.” Tewari’s insights underline the paradigm shift brought about by these findings, which challenge earlier views that the Indus Valley Civilization was unparalleled during its time.

Samples from Sivagalai were analyzed by three leading research laboratories: Beta Analytics in the US, Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in Lucknow. All three laboratories arrived at consistent dates, further reinforcing the authenticity of the findings. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin emphasized the need for additional metallurgical analyses of the iron objects and further excavations in iron ore-bearing zones, which could strengthen these conclusions.

The report also highlighted a significant observation made by archaeologist Rajan, the co-author of the study, who stated, “The recent radiocarbon dates indicate that when Indus Valley experienced Copper Age, south India was in Iron Age. In this sense, Iron Age of south India and Copper Age of the Indus were contemporary.” This revelation points to a parallel development of technological advancements in different parts of ancient India, reshaping our understanding of early Indian history.

Prior to these discoveries, the earliest known iron objects in Tamil Nadu were dated to 2172 BCE at the Mayiladumparai excavation in Krishnagiri district.

The archaeological samples excavated from Sivagalai underwent rigorous analysis using advanced techniques like accelerometer mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS14C) dating for charcoal and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating for ceramics. Through these methods, a total of 11 dates were obtained, with six dating earlier than 2400 BCE, adding a critical dimension to the understanding of early iron usage in Tamil Nadu.

The site yielded more than 85 iron objects, including a variety of tools and weapons such as knives, arrowheads, rings, chisels, axes, and swords. These artefacts, collected from different levels within and outside the burial urns, provide strong evidence of the advanced technological capabilities of the region during that period.

Another remarkable finding was made at Adichanallur, also located in the Thoothukudi district. Here, a charcoal sample associated with an iron object was dated to 2517 BCE. This discovery aligns with the growing body of evidence that positions Tamil Nadu as a significant hub of ancient iron technology.

In comparison, sites in other parts of India, such as Brahmagiri in Karnataka and Gachibowli near Hyderabad, have shown Iron Age dating of 2140 BCE and 2200 BCE, respectively. These dates demonstrate the regional variations in the advent of iron technology across the Indian subcontinent.

Professor Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti, emeritus professor of South Asian Archaeology at Cambridge University, highlighted the global importance of these findings, stating, “For the first time in the world, smelted iron has been dated back to the middle of the third millennium BCE. It is not just a significant discovery in the Indian context, but also in the context of archaeology of the world.” He further added, “About 60 years ago, the antiquity of iron in India did not go beyond the 6th century BCE. From then to the 25th century BCE is a big jump.”

Over the years, archaeological research has shown that the Iron Age began independently in different regions at varying times. For example, evidence of iron smelting in West Asia dates back approximately 3,200 years, while the earliest iron artefacts in the Gangetic plains of India emerged around 3,800 years ago. In contrast, the early Iron Age in Europe is believed to have started about 2,800 years ago, marked by the widespread adoption of iron metallurgy.

Epigraphy expert and historian Vedveer Arya offered another perspective on the significance of these discoveries. He noted, “Now the carbon dating of charcoal samples found with iron objects found in TN proves that the knowledge of Iron is older than the 34th century BCE in India. Therefore, ‘Archaeological Dating Based on Metals Is Not a Good Indicator of Chronology.’”

The conventional timelines for the Copper Age (4000 BCE), Bronze Age (3300 BCE), and Iron Age (1500 BCE) are established by archaeologists and historians based on the presence of these metals in archaeological sites. However, these timelines often vary due to new discoveries in different civilizations. A significant debate revolves around the dating of the Vedas, as it has been argued that they might not date back earlier than 1500 BCE because of references to iron found in Vedic texts. In the Taittiriya Samhita, a Vedic text of the Yajurveda, mentions of metals like gold (hiranyam), copper (ayas), lead (sisam), tin (trapu), bronze (shyamam), and iron (loham) indicate that ancient Indians had extensive knowledge of metallurgy.

The Taittiriya Samhita also refers to silver (rajatam) multiple times, highlighting its importance during the Rigvedic era. This suggests that Indians during this period were aware of gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, bronze, and iron. It is noteworthy that the Sanskrit term ayas refers specifically to copper, not iron, as the text differentiates between ayas and loham. Similarly, krishnayas or shyamam refers to bronze, not iron, as these terms are also distinguished from loham in the Taittiriya Samhita. The Vedic mention of iron has led archaeologists to deduce incorrectly that the Vedas must have been composed during the Iron Age. However, as pointed out, “this is illogical and not a sound basis for establishing the chronology of the Vedas.”

Evidence from Vedic literature confirms that iron was known during the Vedic period. However, the timelines set by archaeologists for the Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages rest on the flawed assumption that the absence of archaeological evidence implies total absence. The texts indicate that while ancient Indians were familiar with iron, they may have chosen to use copper and bronze more widely because iron was prone to rust in damp air and was seen as impure.

Later developments show the ingenuity of ancient Indians in metallurgy. Over time, Indians mastered the production of Wootz steel (high carbon steel), an advancement that occurred after the Mahabharata era (32nd century BCE). The discovery of Wootz steel revolutionized the use of iron, leading to its widespread application in the production of swords and other weapons for warfare. Prior to this breakthrough, bows and arrows were the primary tools used in battles, including in the Mahabharata War.

These findings underscore the advanced knowledge of metallurgy during the Vedic and post-Vedic eras, reshaping our understanding of ancient Indian technological and cultural history.

Sources:

"Sivagalai rewrites the past: Time travel on an iron spear" – The New Indian Express
"Did the Iron Age actually begin in Tamil Nadu? Study reveals some groundbreaking facts" – The Economic Times
"Tamil Nadu's Iron Age report is a turning point in Indian archaeology" – ThePrint
"Where Did the Iron Age Begin?" – Archaeology Magazine
"A new study says Iron Age began hundreds of years earlier" – Indian Express
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