REPORT OF VADAKKUPATTU EXCAVATION

INTRODUCTION
 Vadakkupattu was an important archaeological site, which had been continuously inhabited
over several thousands of years.

 Vadakkupattu village is located in Sriperumbudur taluka of Kancheepuram district in Tamil

Nadu, India. Kancheepuram and Sriperumbudur are the district & sub-district headquarters of
Vadakkupattu village respectively.

Historical background:
The Chennai circle of Archaeological Survey of India has hit gold in terms of history, heritage
culture. Excavations in the nondescript village of Vadakkupattu which is five kilometres from
Oragadam on the outskirts of Chennai have revealed a treasure trove of relics – tools, toys, gold
beads, sculptures, coins among others — not belonging to one but four eras, of which the oldest dates
back to 12,000 years.

 Among the findings the most important are from the Mesolithic period or the Middle Stone
Age that is 12,000 plus years. These include scrappers, cleavers, choppers, hand axes, and
stone fragments numbering in hundreds just 75 cm below the surface

 . At an upper layer of the same pit the 20-member ASI team which included surveyors,
researchers, and labourers found Roman amphora sherds, rouletted pottery and glass beads
besides beads, gold ornaments, terracotta toys, coins, pot sherds and bangle pieces belonging
to the Sangam era, that is 2,000 years ago. This objects, according to the experts indicate
active trade and commerce.

 The surrounding area yielded sculptures and stone carvings which belong to the Pallava
period– from 275 CE to the late era of 897 CE. Many of the sculptures were made of sand
stone and weathered over a period of time. Included among these were statues of Vishnu and a
Shivalinga.
SITE NAME AND LOCATION
Vadakkupattu, sriperumbudur taluk, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu
QWVP+WG, Vadakkupattu R.F., Tamil Nadu 603204
Day 1:
• Clean the glass around the trench removed the excess sand, also later

Brushed the surface of soil up to 2meters specifically around the cleaned the
Baulks around between the trenches.
• Then started to brush quadrant m4/2

• Class were taken to identify datum point mound elevated point

• Layout of a trench and to measure datum point trench would be lard =10x10m by and the

Diagonal measures =14:4

• Baulk measurement was 50cm each trench would divided into 4quadrant

• Visit he shiva temple which was the datum point of the excavation

• Director , co-director , technical , supervisor ,surveyor ,draftsmen site , photography,

Assistant archaeologist were part of the excavation team

• A datum point would be found with help of government offices has records related

To elevation of band to the sea level railway station also has the height of the land compared to the
sea level in early days
• Now days we have modern technology map other apps for finding a elevated area of a
particular place with the help of geo maps

Day 2:
• Trench quadrant name:N4/1

• Dig : 13

• Depth :57 -61cm

 Colour: olive brown

• Composition :sand 60%

• Clay :20% grey 40:site 10%

• Compact : loose to medium slight moisture

• Hand bushing was made

• Sieving the collected sand from bushing

• Used pick axe to dig soil only half side of the quadrant were dug

• Grid was created measurement of grid 1m x 1m

• Grids were named as A1toA41 , B1 to B4 , C1 to C4 , D1 to D4

• Pit was found in C1 and D2, grids was dig repeatedly was sieved every grid sand was
separately collected Grids A3 to A4 , B3 to B4, C3 to to C4, D3 to D4 were excavated

• pottery soil example was collected

• Pit : C1-hopscotch

• D2 :pottery pieces
• Each grid was again dug using axe collected pottery shied bone from D3grid collected teeth
fromC4

• South grid had many bones 2teeth and small potsherds

• South west grid had big pottery pieces pottery him found more potteries

• Potteries found black ware red black and red ware , red coarse ware

Day 3:
• 2ms / Iv

• Dig :04

• Depth:16-18cm

• Colour-paleo yellow in South west/south east

Pale grey northwest/northeast

• Texture : silt 70% sand 20% clay 10%

• Compact :moderately loose

• Day 3 walk started in 2M5/1 trench

• Used small pick axe to break the soil rock into pieces

• Then it was taken in bond fas sieving and dumped in separate place

• Again the dumped soil was broke into fine sand using spade and collected pottery pieces
animals nail, bone, fragments
• Antiquities like beads , iron objects pottery ,artefacts in separate cover with label card

• Finally brush the collect sand to sieve for identify the smaller objects

Day 4:
• Three groups were allocated to do different kinds of work as the part of team B

• All the three teams were assigned for pottery washing washed the stones and pottery pieces
from trench M4 quadrant

• Dig 02 at a depth between 5.9cm

• Cleaned them beating with brush and water and put them to dry

• The wash potteries and identify the types of pottery and documented it

• While washing the numerous numbers of red ware , black and red ware ,black ware and red
slipped ware

• Stone tools like chopper, hammers ,blades ,Mesolithic and flake tools were founded

• Supervisor of the excavation gave insight into the findings of the lithic

• Visit like terracotta figurines torso clay amethyst bed ,spout torso chest ,glass object

Pottery found:

Conical jar, pottery rims, black slip ware, black painted potteries, Roman amphora, bones, tortoise
shell, red and black ware, coarse red ware.