Conch shell unearthed during archaeological excavations at Marungur

Excavations at Marungur reveal ancient conch shell industry

A conch shell, measuring seven centimetres, has been unearthed at  Marungur near Panruti in Cuddalore district where the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology has been conducting excavations.

Referring to a phrase from Civaka Cintamani, one of the five great Tamil epics, which mentions the use of small file tools to cut conch shells and make ornaments, Minister for Finance and Archaeology Thangam Thennarasu said in a social media post, “As evidence for this, a seven-centimetre-long conch shell has been unearthed at a depth of 360 metres in the ongoing excavations at Marungur.”

He said the unearthed material was part of a conch shell used to make bracelets. While the excavations at Marungur have so far yielded iron objects, copper coins from the era of Rajaraja Chola, agate, glass beads, and rouletted ware, this new discovery reveals the existence of conch shell-making industry in the area. It is yet another evidence of the proficiency of Tamils in using technologies, the Minister said. 

Last month, a 13-centimetre-long iron knife, weighing 22.97 grams with 2.8-millimetre thickness, was unearthed at Marungur.