According to T.S. Subramanian, a former associate editor for Frontline, ivory chess pieces, ivory dice, and terracotta hopscotch stones were discovered during excavations at the Keezhadi archaeological site, which is 13 kilometres from Madurai.
Speaking at an event sponsored by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Chennai Chapter, at Ashvita, he discussed “Keezhadi: Sangam Age Site Excavations” and noted that the excavations had revealed brick structures, ring wells, drainage systems, and furnaces from the Sangam period. The people of that era prospered by making textiles, terracotta jewellery with semi-precious stones, terracotta ceramics, drilling ivory, forging iron tools, and using bricks baked in kilns for years.
According to Mr. Subramanian, the discovery of Keezhadi and establishment of a site museum Around the 1970s, V. Balasubramaniam taught history at the Government High School in Keezhadi. When he discovered some terracotta items from the 14th century in 1978 near Pallichandai Thidal, he immediately notified V. Vedachalam, an epigraphist with the State Archaeology Department in Madurai. There was no progress at the time, despite the fact that he visited the area and discovered terracotta figurines. Then, in 2014, Amarnath Ramakrishna conducted a study of the Vaigai Basin and hired Mr. Vedachalam as a subject-matter expert who recommended that excavations be conducted in the Thidal. Following the start of the excavation in January 2015, hundreds of relics from the Tamil Sangam era were discovered.
The Hindu Publisher Nirmala Lakshman and Sujatha Shankar of INTACH were present.Prizes were distributed to schoolchildren who won in drawing and essay competitions.
