Chennai: In what is considered a landmark revelation that reshapes the understanding of early metallurgy in India, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday announced that the use of iron in the State dates back to 3345 BCE.
This finding, based on samples from Sivagalai in Thoothukudi district, places Tamil Nadu as a pioneer in the Iron Age, predating similar developments in many parts of the world.
Releasing the report 'Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu', authored by K. Rajan and R. Sivanantham, Mr. Stalin declared, “The Iron Age began on Tamil soil!” He cited carbon dating results from globally renowned institutions, which confirmed iron usage in the region over 5,300 years ago.
This discovery holds global significance. Professor Emeritus Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti of Cambridge University stated, “This is the first evidence worldwide suggesting smelted iron usage as early as the middle of the third millennium BCE. It has profound implications for world archaeology.”
Former Archaeological Survey of India Director-General Rakesh Tewari also lauded the findings, calling Tamil Nadu a hub of independent cultural and technological advancements. He emphasised the need for similar research across the country to unearth more such historical milestones.
The research involved rigorous scientific methods, including Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL). Samples were analyzed at the Beta Analytic Testing Laboratory (USA), Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (Lucknow), and Physical Research Laboratory (Ahmedabad). Commissioner of Archaeology T. Udhayachandran noted that these results underwent meticulous validation to ensure accuracy.
The findings underscore the technological sophistication of ancient Tamil society. “Smelting iron requires temperatures of 1,200–1,400°C, indicating advanced metallurgical skills. This mastery significantly impacted agriculture, trade, and the eventual formation of state systems,” Udhayachandran explained.
Earlier excavations at sites like Adichanallur, Mayiladumparai, and Kilnamandi suggested iron usage between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE.
However, the latest study pushes the timeline further back, establishing the Iron Age in Tamil Nadu as contemporary with the Copper Age in northern India. Marking the occasion, Mr. Stalin also laid the foundation stones for museums at Keeladi and Gangaikondacholapuram.
