Sangam age artefacts found near Chennai

Sangam age artefacts found near Chennai

Subject : Culture

Context: ASI officials said it was significant as they had discovered some sangam age artefacts from NathamMedu, 40 km north west of Chennai city.

Concept :

• Hand axes, scrapers, cleavers and choppers as old as 12,000 years to rouletted ware (from the Sangam era – 2,000 years ago), Roman amphora sherds and glass beads indicating active trade with Rome were some of the artefacts found.
• The sculptures found date from the Pallava era (275 CE) to the late pallavaera(897 CE).
• One of many main archaeological findings from Tamil Nadu within the latest previous had been in September 2019, indicating that Keeladi, close to Madurai, was an city settlement of Sangam Age on the banks of River Vaigai.
• The findings, a part of a report, had additionally pushed the historical past of literacy in south India to at the least 2,600 years in the past, lowering the hole between the Sangam period or Tamilagam (South India), and the Indus Valley Civilisation (1,500 BCE). Earlier, it was the third century BCE.

Sangam Age

• The period roughly between the 3rd century B.C. and 3rd century A.D in South India (the area lying to the south of river Krishna and Tungabhadra) is known as Sangam Period.
• It has been named after the Sangam academies held during that period that flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandya kings of Madurai.
• At the Sangams eminent scholars assembled and functioned as the board of censors and the choicest literature was rendered in the nature of anthologies.
• The literary works of this period were the earliest specimens of Dravidian literature.
• According to the Tamil legends, there were three Sangams (Academy of Tamil poets) held in the ancient South India popularly called Muchchangam.
• The First Sangam, is believed to be held at Madurai, attended by gods and legendary sages. No literary work of this Sangam is available.
• The Second Sangam was held at Kapadapuram, only Tolkappiyam survives from this.
• The Third Sangam was also held at Madurai. A few of these Tamil literary works have survived and are a useful sources to reconstruct the history of the Sangam period.