Chennai, Feb 18 (BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu Archeological Department along with the Archeological Survey of India in a joint excavation at Keezhadi in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu has unearthed a rectangular ivory dice on Thursday. Sources in the team told BPNS that this is the first time that rectangular dice has been unearthed from Keezhadi during excavation while cubical dice was found under the earth during earlier phases of excavations.
This is the eighth phase of excavation at Keezhadi which was inaugurated virtually by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin on Friday, 11th February 2022.
In a statement on Friday, the Tamil Nadu archeological department said that the dice was unearthed at a depth of 30 to 40 cm below the ground. The dice is 4.5 cm in length, 0.9 cm in height, and 0.9 cm in thickness.
Officials said that it has marks (dot surrounded by circles) of four sides indicating numerals, one, two, three and four.
Sources in the department told BPNS that this was one of the most significant discoveries during the eight-phase of excavation at Keezhadi and surrounding areas.
It is to be noted that Carbon dating of charcoal during the excavations held at Keezhadi during 2017 has found that the settlement there belonged to 200 BC. This proved that urban civilization had existed in Tamil Nadu since the Sangam age.
The unearthing of several exquisitely crafted pots and other materials from Keezhadi during the earlier phases of excavations have proved that the urban settlement at the place had trade links with North India and the Western world during the Sangam age.
More than 5300 artifacts were unearthed from Keezadi during the earlier excavations and the Tamil Nadu archeological department is setting up a museum at the site for display of these Sangam age artifacts.
