Keeladi Excavations
▪ Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has stated that the report on the Keeladi
excavations, submitted by archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, is not yet “technically wellsupported” and requires further scientific studies.
▪ Keeladi is a village in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, situated along the Vaigai River, about 12 km southeast of Madurai.
▪ Excavations began in 2015, initially led by the ASI and later by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology after a period of administrative dispute.
▪ Over 18,000 artefacts have been discovered, including pottery, inscribed potsherds, gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell and ivory bangles, glass beads, spindle whorls, terracotta seals, and weaving tools.
▪ Some symbols on Keeladi artefacts resemble those of the Indus Valley Civilization, though a cultural gap of about 1,000 years remains.
