Copper nails found at Porpanaikottai excavation site

Five copper nails and an antimony rod have been unearthed by archaeologists at Porpanaikottai, a Sangam-age site, in Pudukottai district

Five copper nails and an antimony rod have been unearthed by archaeologists at Porpanaikottai, a Sangam-age site, in Pudukottai district.

A Sangam-age fort is believed to have existed at the site, situated about 6.5 km to the east of Pudukottai town. The State Archaeology Department had begun excavations at the site in 2023. The second phase of excavation, inaugurated virtually by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on June 18, is under way.

“The discovery of copper nails is significant; so far only iron nails had been found at the site. The copper nails are of various sizes. One of them weighs two grams and is 2.3-cm long. A 3-cm-long antimony rod has been found at the site. The artefacts bring out the cultural richness of the people who had lived in Porpanaikottai,” Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for Finance and Archaeology, said in a post on X.

T. Thangadurai, excavation director, told The Hindu that four of the copper nails were found in one of the six trenches dug up so far this season and one more was found in another trench. The antimony rod could have been used for “cosmetic purposes,” he said. A brick floor has been exposed during the current phase of excavation taken up to the south of the inner palace enclosure.

“The brick platform was exposed at the south-east corner and is 280-cm-long and 21 8-cm wide. Over the past 26 days of excavation, we have unearthed 424 antiquities, including glass beads, glass bangles, iron and copper objects,” Mr. Thangadurai said.

Last year, 17 trenches were dug at the site leading to the unearthing of brick structures and 533 antiques, including a gold nose stud, a bone point, a carnelian bead, and three pieces of rouletted ware, a distinctive type of decorated pottery, were found.