Lok Sabha Question No. 2670 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-12
Subject: Excavations in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: V. SATHYABAMA, KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, PR. SENTHILNATHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 2670

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2018

## Excavations in Tamil Nadu

## 2670 SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA: SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN: SHRI PR. SENTHIL NATHAN:

Will the  Minister  of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has allocated funds for preservation and conservation of monuments/sites of  national  importance  in  Tamil  Nadu  and  also  to  conduct  excavations  at  archaeological  site Keezhadi in Tamil Nadu for the next season;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  current  status  disposition  and  protection  of  the  ancient  artefacts,  antiquities  discovered  in archaeological  excavations  in  Tamil  Nadu  from  Adichchanallur,  Sanur,  Kaveripumpattinam  and other sites;
- (d) whether it is a fact that most of the artefacts and antiquities discovered are kept abandoned and left unpublished in Excavation branch at Mysore and Chennai circle office and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the list of excavation reports, memoirs and volumes published so far on archaeological excavations in Tamil Nadu by the Archaeological Survey of India?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

## (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) Yes Madam. For the current financial year the Chennai Circle has been allotted an amount of

&

Rupees 4.5 crores for preservation and conservation of centrally protected monuments/sites in

- (b) Tamil Nadu.

No  funds  have  been  allocated  by  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI)  for  excavation  at Keezhadi  in  Tamil  Nadu.  Licence  has  been  given  to  State  Archaeological  Department, Government of Tamil Nadu to carry out excavation at Keezhadi.

- (c) The artifacts found during the excavations conducted by ASI, Chennai Circle are kept under the safe custody of ASI, Chennai Circle.
- (d) No  Madam. The artefacts  and  antiquities  found  during  the  excavations  conducted  by ASI have been kept under the safe custody. The report writing of excavation conducted at Adichchnallur, Malayadipatti and Fort Pulicat has been initiated.
- (e) The details are given in Annexure.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2670 FOR 12.03.2018.

## Statement showing the Archaeological Excavation carried out by the Chennai Circle

|   Sl. No. | Year of Excavation   | Name of the excavation sites   | Districts   | Departm ents    | Remark                | Excavated by                    | Status of report                                 |
|-----------|----------------------|--------------------------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | 1952                 | Sanur                          | Chingelpet  | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site       | N.R.Banerjee & K.V.Soundaraja n | Ancient India II                                 |
|         2 | 1952-53              | Chengamedu                     | South Arcot | Southern Circle | Historical Site       | Shri. N.R.Banerjee              | Indian Archaeological A Review 1952-53, p.11     |
|         3 | 1953-54              | Pallavamedu                    | Kanchipuram | Southern Circle | Historical Site       |                                 | Indian Archaeological A Review 1953-54, p.12     |
|         4 | 1954-55              | Amirthamangala m               | Chingelpet  | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site       | Shri. N.R.Banerjee              | Indian Archaeological A Review 1954-55, Pp.20-23 |
|         5 | 1955-56              | Kunnattur                      | Chingelpet  | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site       | Shri. V.D.Krishnasa my          | Indian Archaeological A Review 1955-56, p.23     |
|         6 | 1956-57              | Kunnattur                      | Chingelpet  | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site       | Shri. V.D.Krishnasa my          | Indian Archaeological A Review 1956-57, Pp.31-34 |
|         7 | 1957-58              | Kunnattur                      | Chingelpet  | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site       | Shri. V.D.Krishnasa my          | Indian Archaeological A Review 1957-58, Pp.37-38 |
|         8 | 1962-63              | Kanchipuram                    | Chingalput  | Southern Circle | Historical Site       | Shri. R.Subramanian             | Indian Archaeological A Review 1962-63, p.12     |
|         9 | 1962-63              | Kaveripattinam                 | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Early Historical Site | Shri. S.R.Rao                   | Indian Archaeological A Review 1962-63, p.13     |
|        10 | 1963-64              | Kaveripattinam                 | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Early Historical Site | Shri. S.R.Rao                   | Indian Archaeological A Review 1963-64, p.20     |
|        11 | 1964-65              | Paiyampalli                    | North Arcot | Southern Circle | Neolithic Site        | Shri. S.R.Rao                   | Indian Archaeological A Review 1964-65, Pp.22-23 |
|        12 | 1964-65              | Kaveripattinam                 | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Early Historical Site | Shri. S.R.Rao                   | Indian Archaeological A Review 1964-65, Pp.24-25 |
|        13 | 1965-66              | Kaveripattinam                 | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Early Historical Site | Shri. Krishna Deva              | Indian Archaeological A Review 1965-66, Pp.24-25 |

|   14. | 1966-67   | Karaikadu      | South Arcot   | Surveyed by Dr. Yves Martin of the Instiute de Physique du globe, paris, and excavatio n carried out by Southern circle.   | Historical Site       | Shri. K.V.Raman         | Indian Archaeological A Review 1964-65, p.21                                                                                                                            |
|-------|-----------|----------------|---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    15 | 1966-67   | Kaveripattinam | Thanjavur     | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Early Historical Site | Shri. K.V.Raman         | Indian Archaeological A Review 1964-65, p.21                                                                                                                            |
|    16 | 1970-71   | Perur          | Coimbatore    | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Megalithic Site       | Shri. K.V. Soundrarajan | Indian Archaeological A Review 1970-71, Pp.33-34                                                                                                                        |
|    17 | 1970-71   | Malayamputtu   | North Arcot   | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Megalithic Site       | Shri. K.V. Soundrarajan | Indian Archaeological A Review 1970-71, Pp.34-35                                                                                                                        |
|    18 | 1970-71   | Kaveripattinam | Thanjavur     | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Early Historical Site | Shri. K.V. Soundrarajan | Indian Archaeological A Review 1970-71, p.35, Soundarajan, K 1994 Kaveripattinam 1963-73 A Port city of the Tamil Nadu Coast, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi |
|    19 | 1970-71   | Ukkirankottai  | Thirunelvelli | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Historical Site       | Shri. K.V. Soundrarajan | Indian Archaeological A Review 1970-71, p.35                                                                                                                            |
|    20 | 1972-73   | Kaveripattinam | Thanjavur     | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Early Historical Site | Shri. K.V. Raman        | Indian Archaeological A Review 1972-73, Pp.32-33                                                                                                                        |
|    21 | 1973-74   | Nanganallur    | Madras        | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Historical Site       | Shri. K.V. Soundrarajan | Indian Archaeological A Review 1973-74, p.24                                                                                                                            |
|    22 | 1973-74   | Gingee fort    | Soth Arcot    | Southern Circle                                                                                                            | Historical Site       | Shri. K.V. Soundrarajan | Indian Archaeological A Review 1973-74, p.25                                                                                                                            |

| 23.   | 1973-74   | Kaveripattinam   | Thanjavur   | Southern   | Early   | Shri. K.V.   | Indian   |
|-------|-----------|------------------|-------------|------------|---------|--------------|----------|

|    |         |               |             | Circle          | Historical Site               | Soundrarajan           | Archaeological A Review 1973-74, p.25, Soundarajan, K 1994 Kaveripattinam 1963-73 A Port city of the Tamil Nadu Coast, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi   |
|----|---------|---------------|-------------|-----------------|-------------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 24 | 1976-77 | T .Kallupatti | Madurai     | Southern Circle | Middle Paleolithic Site       | Shri. L.K. Srinivasan, | Indian Archaeological A Review 1976-77, Pp.46-47                                                                                                                   |
| 25 | 1978-79 | Mottur        | North Arcot | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site               | Shri. L.K. Srinivasan  | Indian Archaeological A Review 1978-79, Pp.72-73                                                                                                                   |
| 26 | 1979-80 | T .Kallupatti | Madurai     | Southern Circle | Microlithic - Megalithic site | Shri. L.K. Srinivasan  | Indian Archaeological A Review 1979-80, Pp.40-41                                                                                                                   |
| 27 | 1982-83 | Kambarmedu    | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Historical Site               | Shri. C.L.Suri         | Indian Archaeological A Review 1982-83, p.72                                                                                                                       |
| 28 | 1983-84 | Kambarmedu    | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Historical Site               | Shri. P. Narayana Babu | Indian Archaeological A Review 1983-84, Pp.78-79                                                                                                                   |
| 29 | 1984-85 | Auroville     | South Arcot | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site               | Shri. P. Narayana Babu | Indian Archaeological A Review 1984-85, p.77                                                                                                                       |
| 30 | 1985-86 | Auroville     | South Arcot | Southern Circle | Megalithic Site               | Shri. P. Narayana Babu | Indian Archaeological A Review 1985-86, Pp.70-71                                                                                                                   |
| 31 | 1985-86 | Darasuram     | Thanjavur   | Southern Circle | Historical Site               | Shri. P. Narayana Babu | Indian Archaeological A Review 1985-86, p.71                                                                                                                       |
| 32 | 1986-87 | Darasuram     | Thanjavur   | Madras Circle   | Historical Site               | Shri. K.P.Poonacha     | Indian Archaeological A Review 1985-86, p.72                                                                                                                       |
| 33 | 1990-91 | Mamallapuram  | Kanchipuram | Madras Circle   | Historical Site               | Shri. B. Narasimhaiah  | Indian Archaeological A Review 1990-91, p.62-63                                                                                                                    |
| 34 | 1993-94 | Gingee        | Villupuram  | Madras Circle   | Historical Site               | Shri. B. Narasimhaiah  | Indian Archaeological A Review 1993-94, Pp.98-100                                                                                                                  |
| 35 | 1994-95 | Gingee        | Villupuram  | Madras Circle   | Historical Site               | Shri. B. Narasimhaiah  | Indian Archaeological A Review 1994-95, Pp.67-69                                                                                                                   |

| 36.   | 1995-96   | Gingee   | Villupuram   | Chennai Circle   | Historical Site   | Shri. B. Narasimhaiah   | Indian Archaeological A Review 1995-96,   |
|-------|-----------|----------|--------------|------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------------------|

|    |           |                             |             |                |                 |                                                      | Pp.72-73                                                                                                        |
|----|-----------|-----------------------------|-------------|----------------|-----------------|------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 37 | 1997-98   | Mamallapuram                | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. K.T. Narasimhan                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 1997-98, p.156                                                                   |
| 38 | 1998-99   | Mamallapuram                | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. K.T. Narasimhan                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 1998-99, Pp.155-56                                                               |
| 39 | 1999-2000 | Mamallapuram (Shore Temple) | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. K.T. Narasimhan                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 1998-99, Pp.148-49                                                               |
| 40 | 2001-02   | Fort Gingee                 | Villupuram  | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. K.T. Narasimhan                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 2001-02                                                                          |
| 41 | 2002-03   | Fort Gingee                 | Villupuram  | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. K.T. Narasimhan                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 2002-03                                                                          |
| 42 | 2003-04   | Dutch Fort, Sadaras         | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. K.T. Narasimhan                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 2003-04                                                                          |
| 43 | 2003-04   | Adichchnallur               | Thoothukudi | Chennai Circle | Megalithic Site | Shri. T.Sathyamurth y                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 2003-04                                                                          |
| 44 | 2004-05   | Adichchnallur               | Thoothukudi | Chennai Circle | Megalithic Site | Shri. T.Sathyamurth y                                | Indian Archaeological A Review 2004-05                                                                          |
| 45 | 2005-06   | Saluvankuppam               | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Shri. T.Sathyamurth y & Smt. Sathyabhama Badhreenath | Saluvankuppam Excavations (2005-2007) Sathyabhama Badhreenath (2015), Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi |
| 46 | 2006-07   | Saluvankuppam               | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Historical Site | Smt. Sathyabhama Badhreenath                         | Saluvankuppam Excavations (2005-2007) Sathyabhama Badhreenath (2015), Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi |
| 47 | 2007-08   | Siruthavur                  | Kanchipuram | Chennai Circle | Megalithic Site | Smt. Sathyabhama Badhreenath                         | Excavations at Siruthavur (2008) Sathyabhama Badhreenath (2011),Archaeolo gical Survey of India, New Delhi      |

|   48. | 2010-11   | Malaiyadipatti   | Pudukottai   | Chennai Circle   | Pre- Historic Site   | Shri. Ramesh S. Mulimani   | Report writing is in progress.   |
|-------|-----------|------------------|--------------|------------------|----------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|    49 | 2013-2014 | Fort at Pulicat  | Thiruvallur  | Chennai Circle   | Historical site      | Dr.G.Maheshw ari           | Excavation is in progress        |