Archaeological excavators looking for remains of Muziris, an ancient port city of Pattanam in Kerala, found 18 wooden pegs that might throw light on the life and times of people who lived there several centuries ago.
The sharpened wooden pegs, ranging from 15 cm to 20 cm in length, were found at a depth of four metres, said P.J. Cherian, head of the Pattanam excavations that are conducted by the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR).
“This was a surprise find as the excavation has almost reached the natural layer, that is where no human interventions are identifiable,” he said.
To determine the age of the pegs, the samples will be sent to science laboratories, including to that of Oxford University, for radiocarbon dating. On Friday, Kerala Forest Research Institute scientists examined the wood samples and botanical sediments.
Mr. Cherian said two excavation trenches produced evidence of formation of peat, a spongy layer of botanical remains deposited over a long period time. The peat formation could date back to about 25 centuries, he said.
The excavations in Pattanam, located at Vadakkekara panchayat in Ernakulam district, have attracted historians, and archaeologists, and research institutions are collaborating with the KCHR in its digs.
Keywords: Pattanam digs, wooden pegs, KCHR, Vadakkekara panchayat
There have been ever so many tales of treasures found at various places in the foot hills of Idukki district, famous for its spices. Many treasures containing gold coins probably of Roman make, are never shown to the outside world for fear of being confiscated by the government. If Pattanom was indeed such a famous trade center, the money obtained from the sale of spices like pepper should have made the spice growers of the nearby areas rich. When epidemics like small pox ravaged the settlements, people fled to distant places leaving their earnings in pots concealed underground. These people very often never came back leaving the gold and valuable unclaimed. The excavations at Pattanom show that such rumors and legend about treasure finds in Idukki District are not entirely baseless.
There should be suitable legislation conferring total right of such find to the finder. This will prevent valuable coins and objects of historical significance lost.
I am a high school student, interested in archaelogy. Is there any way by which I can contact the excavation team to do an internship?
Sir,
The report on pattanam excavations on 2-05-2010.No new idea to locate Muziris.The toponym pattanam is spread all over the western coast and in many interior areas and hence it is only one pattanam among many pattanams. How can we say that it is Muziris/Muyirikkod. K. P.Devadas says that muyiri was on the banks of Cullipperiyar according to Sangham works-the Tamil works of early period. There is no Toponym "Periyar" mentioned in these works.
1The Excavations seem to be a pre-determined one.They always equate pattanam and muziris.How?.
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