The Hindu : Front Page : Maratta period cannonballs found at Thanjavur

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Maratta period cannonballs found at Thanjavur

G. Srinivasan

Underground drainage workers also stumbled on parts of urn

CHANCE DISCOVERY: The urn found during underground drainage work at Thanjavur on Friday. — Photo: M.Srinath

Thanjavur : The ongoing underground drainage work at Thanjavur town has led to excavation of three stone cannonballs and parts of what is suspected to be an urn at South Alangam near the old bus stand.

The cannonballs, each weighing 70 kg, and with a circumference of two feet and a one-foot diameter, were discovered on Thursday. Parts of the urn were found on Friday in the same place.

Archaeological Department officials say the cannonballs belonged to the Maratta period. There was a moat around Thanjavur town and cannons were put up at many places. The cannonballs might have got buried when the moat collapsed.

Details of the parts of the broken pot and a bone found in it can be released only after research, the officials said. "They may be part of an urn burial."

Workers stumbled on the cannonballs and part of a pot-like structure when they dug a pit to a depth of 12 feet. As they removed earth, they saw a stone wall-like structure and found the cannonballs placed on them.

According to K.Rajan, associate professor, Department of Epigraphy and Archaeology, Tamil University, urns, called "Muthumakkal Thazhi," are pots in which the bodies of the deceased were kept and buried. The pots also contained goods and ornaments used by them. "Thanjavur is an urn burial zone."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page