Iron Age began in Tamil Nadu in first quarter of 4th millennium BCE: CM Stalin

The use of iron in Tamil Nadu can be dated back to the first quarter of the 4th millennium BCE, according to fresh findings published by the State’s Archaeology Department, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said during an event at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai on Thursday (January 23, 2025).

The use of iron in Tamil Nadu can be dated back to the first quarter of the 4th millennium BCE, according to fresh findings published by the State’s Archaeology Department, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said during an event at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai on Thursday (January 23, 2025).

During his speech, Mr. Stalin announced that the Iron Age began on Tamil soil. “Some 5,300 years ago, it started in this Tamil land,” he said, citing the department’s research.

The report titled ‘Antiquity of Iron: Recent radiometric dates from Tamil Nadu’ said that the earlier excavations at Sivagalai, Adichanallur, Mayiladumparai, Kilnamandi, and Mangadu indicated that the date of introduction of iron in south India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, fell between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE.

“When cultural zones located north of Vindhyas experienced the Copper Age, the region south of Vindhyas might have entered into the Iron Age due to the limited availability of commercially exploitable copper ore. Thus, the Copper Age of North India and the Iron Age of South India are probably contemporary,” the report by authors K. Rajan and R. Sivanantham said.

“Based on the availability of AMS 14C and OSL dates of 2427 BCE, 2450 BC, 2459 BCE, 2522 BCE, 2953 BCE, 3259 BCE, and 3345 BCE were obtained for the samples recovered from the recent excavations,” it said.

“Therefore, we may securely place the introduction of iron in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, in the early part of 4th millennium BCE. The metallurgical analysis of iron objects from the excavated sites and future excavations in iron ore-bearing zones may further consolidate or strengthen these findings,” it said.

Veteran archaeologist and Professor Emeritus of South Asian Archaeology at Cambridge University Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti, who was present on stage, endorsed these findings. Former Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India Processor Rakesh Tiwari also expressed his endorsement at the event.