The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has instructed archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the significant Keezhadi excavations near Madurai, to revise and resubmit his 982-page report on the findings, citing the need for corrections to enhance its authenticity before further action can be taken.
The directive comes over two years after Mr. Ramakrishna submitted his report to the ASI Director General on January 30, 2023.
Ramakrishna, who spearheaded the excavations starting in 2014, uncovered evidence of an ancient urban civilisation in Tamil Nadu dating back to the Sangam Age.
Carbon dating of charcoal from the Keezhadi site in February 2017 placed the settlement at around 200 BC, with artefacts suggesting a sophisticated society. His extensive study, which utilised Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), has been pivotal in establishing the historical significance of the site.
However, the ASI has raised concerns about specific aspects of the report, particularly regarding the nomenclature and dating of three distinct periods identified in the excavation.
According to the ASI, the proposed timeline for Period I, spanning from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, requires “concrete justification” as it appears “very early” in light of current knowledge.
The ASI emphasised that the earliest period should likely be dated to pre-300 BCE at the maximum. Additionally, the other two periods need clearer determination based on scientific AMS dates and material recovered, with detailed stratigraphical context.
The ASI also pointed out deficiencies in the report’s documentation, noting that merely mentioning the depth of findings is insufficient and that layer numbers must be included for comparative consistency. The submitted maps, including the village map, lack clarity, and several elements—such as plates, a contour map, stratigraphy drawings, and a plan indicating trench locations—are either missing or require improvement.
Ramakrishna, who was transferred to Assam in 2017 before submitting his report and now serves as Director of Antiquities, faces the task of addressing these issues to meet the ASI’s standards.
The call for revisions has sparked concern among some observers.
Former IAS officer R. Balakrishnan, author of Journey of a Civilisation: Indus to Vaigai, tells The Hindu that the ASI’s directive is “unprecedented” and suggested it stems from the “pressure of history.”
He criticised the ASI’s handling of southern archaeology, pointing to a pattern of delays in publishing significant findings. “Not digging adequately is considered a tragedy, not letting the reports come out is a greater tragedy. It is simply pathetic,” he remarked, highlighting the prolonged suppression of the Adichanallur report by T. Sathyamoorthy, which remained unpublished for 15 years until court intervention.
Balakrishnan further noted, “We have been seeing a clear bias. In a multicultural country like India, history requires careful and responsible handling,” The Hindu quoted him as saying.
The Keezhadi site has drawn widespread attention, with many suggesting that, if validated, it could represent India’s oldest known civilisation, surpassing other historical benchmarks.
