• Date of Announcement: January 2025
  • Report Title: Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu
  • Significance: The scientific dating of archaeological samples has pushed back the Iron Age in Tamil Nadu by approximately two millennia, revealing that iron was used in the region as early as the mid-third to fourth millennia BCE.

Iron Age Advancement:

  • The Iron Age in Tamil Nadu began over 5,300 years ago, contrary to previous assumptions about the timing of its introduction in India.
  • Iron was being used in the region as early as 3000 BCE.
  • The results establish that the Iron Age began on Tamil soil, an important contribution to human history.

Archaeological Sites:

  • Samples were collected from the following sites:
    • Sivagalai (Thoothukudi district)
    • Adichanallur (Tirunelveli district)
    • Mayiladumparai (Krishnagiri district)
  • These sites are known for their ancient archaeological significance, with evidence of iron smelting technology.

Scientific Methodology:

  • The samples were sent to three renowned laboratories for analysis:
    • Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow
    • Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad
    • Beta Analytic Lab, Florida, USA