Modhur, a village 15 km away from Dharmapuri, where the inscriptions were found | ExpressModhur village throws up evidence to Dharmapuri’s neolithic connection
By M Niyas Ahmed - DHARMAPURI 13th May 2013 07:47 AM
A small village near Dharmapuri has been found to be archaeologically significant as historians have revealed that it has been inhabited since the Neolithic age, about 10,000 years ago.
Historians, who have been studying inscriptions and tools found in the area, are of the opinion that Modhur, situated about fifteen kilo metres from Dharmapuri town, was highly civilised and was most probably the capital for the Athiyaman kingdom. Stone hammers, grinding stones, rubbing stones, stone balls, and a terracotta statue of the mother goddess were excavated in the village.
Nearly 17 varieties of stones tools were used by the people of Modhur that dates back to a period about 10,000 years back. “The Neolithic people who lived here were highly civilised and there is evidence that the people were engaged in agriculture,” said S Selvaraj, a retired regional assistant director, department of archaeology.
According to Selvaraj, in the entire state of Tamil Nadu, Modhur is the only place where this many stone tools and Celts were unearthed. “In Purananuru, a sangam anthology, there is evidence of the inhabitants of Modhur, which was called Mudhur at that time. As a historian, I think it was most likely that Modhur was the capital of the Athiyaman kingdom,” he adds.
When asked if there were any links between the Modhur and the Indus civilisation, he said, “There were no connections between the two. Inscriptions found in the Indus valley were in hieroglyphs but in Modhur, we had found graffiti inscriptions.” However, he added that like Modhur, there may be Neolithic human habitation in Mayiladumparai of Pochampalli, Mullikadu of Harur and many parts of Krishnagiri district.
A Chola period inscription of the 10th century, which was found in the village, indicated that Chola kings had imposed tax for marriages. Two hero stone inscription of a Hoysala king were also found in Modhur.
The village holds a lot of evidence of the historical significance of Tamilians. Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri are archaeologically rich and much can be found if proper excavations are done, he said.
http://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Modhur-village-throws-up-evidence-to-Dharmapuri%E2%80%99s-neolithic-connection/2013/05/13/article1587584.ece
Archaeologists Unearth Rare Neolithic Habitation at Modhur
Chennai, May 2, 2005 (UNI) In a remarkable finding, the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology has excavated a rare neolithic habitation site at Modhur in Dharmapuri district and unearthed 365 artefacts, dating back to 3,000 BC, that shed light on the culture and civilization of that period.
A team of archaeologists from the Department had been conducting systematic excavation since January last and identified three distinct habitation mounds spread around Modhur, an important pre-historical site dating back to 10,000 years, Mr T S Sridhar, Special Commissioner of Archaeology, told UNI.
The first mound, which covered an area of five acre and was located on the western side of a hillock, yielded coarse redware, few pieces of greyware and a neolithic celt.
The second mound, located further west of the hillock, yielded black and redware, red-slipped ware and russet-coated wares belonging to the megalithic period (500 BC to 100 AD).
Different kinds of potteries with neolithic celt were collected from the third mound, called Kottaimedu, located on the eastern side of the hillock. Besides, more than 20 megalithic burials mainly of Cairn circles were also found.
Mr Sridhar said this was the first time the Department had unearthed such a large collection of neolithic stone tools such as unfinished celt, spheroid rubber, oval rubbers, discoid hand hammers, cylindrical pestles, grooved hammer, stone hip hop and stone dabber.
In addition, polishing stone and grinding stones were also collected in large numbers. Some of the artefacts unearthed were similar to the ones found in the Kuli valley in Afghanistan, which belonged to the pre-Indus period, he added.
Neolithic antiquities like black and redware, iron arrowhead, crucible furnace, bowl, graffiti marks on potshreds, toys, spout, dice, bone needle and earlobes, belonging to the Iron Age (1,000 BC), were also collected from the excavation site. The collection of iron slugs and crucible furnance were the evidence of iron production during that period, Mr Sridhar said.
The Department also carried out excavations at Andipatti in Tiruvannamalai district and collected rare artefacts such as terracotta Buddha figure, black and redware and portion of a sarcophagus, belonging to the Sangam period (1st century BC to 5th century AD).
http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG3_sub.asp?newscode=101282&catcode=ENG3&subcatcode=
Wednesday, Dec 15, 2004
Archaeological Dept. to take up excavation in Dharmapuri
By Our Staff Reporter
DHARMAPURI, DEC. 14 . The Government has given approval to the State Department of Archaeology to carry out excavation at Modhur in Dharmapuri, the Special Commissioner of Archaeology, T.S. Sridhar, said.
Addressing presspersons here today, he said it was proposed to carry out the excavation at Modhur at an estimated outlay of Rs. 2.5 lakhs. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had also given its approval, he said.
The contour survey would begin in 10 days, he pointed out.
Revenue officials in association with officials of the State Department of Archaeology would start excavation after January 15.
It was proposed to complete the work before March 2005, he said.
Pottery found
Modhur is an important historical site, situated about 15 kms from Dharmapuri. Mr. Sridhar said that the antiquity of Modhur village went back to the Neolithic age (about 10,000 years old). It had a succession of habitations.
During the exploration, the archaeological officer of Dharmapuri identified three distinct habitation mounds.
In addition, different kinds of pottery with Neolithic celts (stones) were also found.
Stone inscriptions
In the surface collection, the site yielded black and red ware, slipped ware and few grey pottery of the Megalithic period (about 3,000 years old).
Two hero stone inscriptions of the Hoysala king were also found.
More than 20 Megalithic burials were found at Tirumalvadi, near Modhur.
http://www.hindu.com/2004/12/15/stories/2004121502080300.htm