Possible Middle Palaeolithic site found at Mallankinaru in Virudhunagar

A field survey conducted by a postgraduate archaeology student from the University of Madras has unearthed stone tools that could date back to the Middle Palaeolithic period, according to preliminary observations by experts from the varsity.

N. Thilagarajan, a student of the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, discovered the stone tools during an exploration at Mallankinaru in Virudhunagar district. The tools, made of quartz, include multidirectional and radial cores, as well as flake tools such as notches and scrapers. They were found in a stratigraphic layer of a quarried section near a waterbody in Mallankinaru.

Based on a preliminary analysis of the type and shape of the stone tools, they could belong to the Middle Palaeolithic period, said Jinu Koshy, excavation in-charge of the Department at the University of Madras. He added that the sediments in the locality were formed due to fluvial activity, as the site is part of the lower Gundar basin.

J. Soundararajan, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Madras, said no Middle Palaeolithic period stone tools had previously been found in the village. He said further exploration and excavation of the site could lead to the discovery of more artefacts, and detailed scientific analysis would help determine the exact period of the site.