5300 Years Old Iron Samples in Tamil Nadu! An Analysis

5300 Years-Old Iron Samples in Tamil Nadu! An Analysis

Iron samples

Carbon dating of the artefacts recovered from the recent archaeological excavations done in Tamil Nadu has established that the use of iron was prevalent in the state and dates back to earlier than 5,300 years, thus, making it the oldest date for Iron Age in India.

The research findings are derived from accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of cultural deposits excavated from various sites, including Adichanallur, Sivagalai, Mayiladumparai, Mangadu, Thelunganur, and Kilnamandi. These findings are detailed in a report titled ‘Antiquity of Iron,’ published by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA). The evidence suggests that iron technology was not imported from Western regions but was instead developed within India.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, unveiled the 73-page report, which includes corroborative data from AMS and OSL analyses conducted by internationally recognized laboratories and validated by ten experts from across the nation. Stalin also disclosed the results of independent dating analyses conducted by scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, which indicate that two additional urns from Sivagalai are estimated to be 4,400 and 4,500 years old.

Additionally, the findings propose a new hypothesis indicating that the Copper Age in North India and the Iron Age in South India may have occurred concurrently. A total of five artefacts from Sivagalai in the Thoothukudi district were subjected to analysis, revealing a potsherd dating back to 685 BCE and a paddy sample from a burial urn dating to 1155 BCE. The remaining three dates, which range from 2953 BCE to 3345 BCE, correspond to iron objects. Consequently, the authors assert in the report that the introduction of iron in Tamil Nadu can be traced back to the early 4th millennium BCE. The OSL analysis yielded dates of 2459 BCE, 2427 BCE, and 2590 BCE, all derived from a single grave.

The chronological estimates for Adichanallur are 1800-905 BCE, Kilnamandi (1769-1615 BCE), Mayiladumparai (2172 BCE), Mangadu (1604-1416 BCE), and Thelunganur (1435-1233 BCE). Notably, Mayiladumparai, with a date of 2172 BCE (approximately 4,200 years ago), was identified in 2022 as the earliest evidence of iron technology in India. Prior to this finding, the earliest dates for such technology were believed to range from 1500 to 2000 BCE, subsequent to the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.

The Sivagalai site served as a burial ground, where several urns were discovered containing iron tools, including axes, sickles, and daggers, as reported by R. Sivanantham, a joint director in the Tamil Nadu archaeology department. The dating of these urns indicates that iron tools were utilized during that period. Additionally, the state archaeology department dispatched charcoal samples from certain urns to an independent laboratory in Miami, Florida, for radiocarbon dating. One of the samples was determined to be between 5,320 and 5,460 years old. The findings from the archaeological and dating studies are pending peer review and publication in a scientific journal.

Over the years, archaeological excavations have indicated that the iron age commenced independently at various times across different regions. Evidence of iron smelting has been uncovered in West Asia, dating back 3,200 years. The earliest iron artifacts on the Indian subcontinent emerged in the Gangetic plains approximately 3,800 years ago, while the early iron age in Europe is estimated to have begun around 2,800 years ago, a time characterized by the widespread use of iron metallurgy.

Pertaining to the archaeo evidences, epigraphy expert and historian Vedveer Arya writes, “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’.”

“In general, archaeologists and historians establish timelines for the Copper Age (dating from 4000 BCE), Bronze Age (dating from 3300 BCE), and Iron Age (dating from 1500 BCE) based on the presence of these metals in archaeological sites. However, these timelines can vary depending on archaeological discoveries from different civilizations. It has been argued that the Vedas may not date back earlier than 1500 BCE due to references to iron found during Vedic times. In the Taittiriya Samhita, the Vedic text of Yajurveda, various metals are mentioned, including gold (hiranyam), copper (ayas), lead (sisam), tin (trapu), bronze (shyamam), and iron (loham).”

“Additionally, there are numerous references to silver (rajatam). This suggests that ancient Indians were aware of gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, bronze, and iron during the Rigvedic era. It is important to note that the Sanskrit word ayas specifically refers to copper, not iron, as the Taittiriya Samhita distinguishes between ayas and loham as separate metals. Similarly, krishnayas or shyamam refers to bronze, not iron, as the Taittiriya Samhita also differentiates between shyamam and loham as distinct metals. Since the Vedas specifically mention iron, archaeologists incorrectly deduce that they must have been composed during the Iron Age. This is illogical and not a sound basis for establishing the chronology of the Vedas.”

“Vedic literary evidence suggests that iron was known during the Vedic period. However, the timelines proposed by archaeologists for the Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages are based on the unfounded assumption that the absence of archaeological evidence leads to a conclusion of total absence. While it is clear that ancient Indians were aware of iron during the Vedic era, they may have preferred to use copper and bronze due to iron’s tendency to rust in damp air and its perceived impurity.”

“Over time, Indians mastered the technique of producing Wootz steel (high carbon steel) after the Mahabharata era (32nd century BCE). Once Indians discovered the technique for making Wootz steel, the use of iron expanded, leading to the production of swords and their use in warfare. Up until that time, bows and arrows were more commonly used in warfare such as in the Mahabharata War.”

Text Sources: Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times, Telegraph India, Facebook wall of Vedveer Arya.

Image source: Google.

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