Neolithic & Megalithic settlements
have been found at Paiyampalli
The habitation — cum burial
site Paiyampalli (12° 30' N 78° 36'E) lies on Bangalore—Madras trunk road and
about 5 km east of .Barugur. The excavations conducted in the years 1964-65 and
67-68 at Paiyampalli (Rao[8]) brought to light two cultural periods, viz., the
Neolithic (period 1) and the megalithic (period II). The carbon-14
determinations of the charcoal samples indicated for period I A date at
1390±100 B.C and for period II at 315±100 BC.
The excavation revealed two phases A
(layers 9 and 8) and B (layers 7, 7a, 6, 6a and 5) in period I. The layers 6a,
6-and 5 of phase B in period I, yielded iron artefacts along with megalithic
Black and red ware, neolithic Grey ware potteries and polished stone axes in
one of the middle terrace (IAR: 1967-68:31). The absence of bone tools and the
marked preference for built in huts with floors levelled with stone chips and
plastered over with-ash- mixed earth showed improvement in the economy of the
people in phase B than the earlier culture. The Neolithic settlers at
Paiyampalli used to cultivate cereals and pulses. Charred grains of horse gram
and green gram were found in those levels where a few sherds of megalithic
pottery occurred in an essentially Neolithic habitation-level. The
co-occurrence of Neolithic and megalithic elements in layers 6a, 6 and 5 with
an occupational deposit of 30 CMS in period I illustrate the existence of these
two cultures for a considerable period of time (200 years) befdre the emergence
of iron using migrant as a single dominant culture in period II.
"Period II represented
the megalithic culture. The megalithic pottery of Paiyampalli is similar to
that of other sites, except in respect of the abundance of a comparatively thin
but coarse red ware painted in chocolate, -met with at the habitation. The
Black and red ware, all black ware and the red ware formed main ceramic of the
period
II. Russet coated painted
ware made its appearance in the late levels of period
II.
The megalithic people at Paiyampalli smelted iron and produced a large variety
of tools and weapons locally, probably from the time of their arrival c. 500 BC,
is indicated by the enormous quantity of iron slag and ore found all over the site.
Sickles spears, 'chisels, nails, and axes were found in the habitation area (IAR[111: 1967-68:31). The excavation at Paiyampalli has provided a firm datum for the introduction of. iron in the Northwest part of Tamilnadu. "
of tools and weapons locally, probably from the time of their arrival c. 500 BC,
is indicated by the enormous quantity of iron slag and ore found all over the site.
Sickles spears, 'chisels, nails, and axes were found in the habitation area (IAR[111: 1967-68:31). The excavation at Paiyampalli has provided a firm datum for the introduction of. iron in the Northwest part of Tamilnadu. "
-Proud to be an Tamilan
.
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