Kodumanal excavation

Kodumanal excavation

Subject: Art and Culture

Context: For the first time at the Kodumanal excavation site, a 2,300 year-old step-well has been found during excavation by a team of the State Department of Archaeology

Concept:

It is along the banks of the Noyyal, in Chennimalai Union in Erode district that served as habitation-cum-industrial site, previous excavations since 1981 revealed the presence of an industrial complex where beads and semi-precious stones were manufactured.

 There was evidence of the presence of a number of iron smelting units making forged steel at the site which was a trade centre from the fifth century BCE (Before the Common Era) to the first century BCE.

Findings,

• The circle-shaped well was unearthed at 2.36 metres depth and is 2.65 metres wide while the depth of the well would be known only after deposits were removed in the coming weeks.
• A flight of 13 steps, which was constructed using weathered rocks, slopes down from the ground to the well that served the habitation.
• Two rubble masonry walls measuring 9.30 metres exist on both sides of the steps
• Scientific dating done last year revealed that the well is 2,300 years old
• Water from the well could have been used both for household needs and also for polishing beads and other industrial activities.