In a finding that could throw light on prehistoric civilisation in northern Kerala, a celt, a stone implement with a bevelled cutting edge, probably used as a tool, was discovered at Thimiri, near Cheruvathur, here recently.
Local people found the celt while digging a well at Nalilamkandam, where four ancient Brahmin settlements are believed to have existed. Recently, four rock-cut chambers and umbrella stones and a cave (termed by the natives ‘narimalam’) were also discovered within a one-km radius from the spot. The celt could have been used to build megalithic monuments such as rock-cut chamber (Muniyara), umbrella stone (Kudakkallu), cape stone and to cut branches of trees, Nandakumar Koroth and C.P. Rajeevan, history scholars from the Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad, said after examining the object.
The discovery was made by local residents R. Radhakrishnan and P.K. Narayanan, who invited history faculty members of the college to examine the object, Prof. Koroth said. Mr. Radhakrishnan had promised to hand over the celt to the history museum of the college which in turn planned to intimate the State Archaeological Department, Prof. Nandakumar said.