Amarnath Ramakrishna, the ASI Superintending Archaeologist who oversaw the first two phases of the Keeladi excavations that have now completed seven phases, has started writing the report for the first two phases with his team of archaeologists.
Mr. Ramakrishna is currently the Superintending Archaeologist for the Temples Survey Project in the Chennai Circle. He is credited with initiating the Keeladi excavations that have thrown up a treasure trove of artefacts and spotlighted an ancient civilisation that flourished in Tamil Nadu.
He told The Hindu that he had begun documentation of the phases done in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. During these phases, the ASI had unearthed more than 1.5 lakh pots, antiquities and more than 5,600 artefacts.
The preparation of the report for these two phases involves documentation, classification of the artefacts, analysis and a detailed report. Mr. Ramakrishna said he would submit the report to the ASI Director-General, but there was no time frame to complete the process.
Ten carbon samples from the first two phases have been sent to Beta Analytic in Florida, U.S., for carbon-dating. This has been sponsored by the Tamil Nadu Government. Another 20 samples are being sent to the Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi.
The third phase, too, was carried out by the ASI before the Tamil Nadu Government took over the excavations. In fact, the State published a report on the fourth phase, placing the Sangam Age 300 years older than it was thought.
The third phase was carried out by the ASI under P.S. Sriraman after Mr. Ramakrishna was transferred to Guwahati, a decision that sparked a controversy.
In 2018, the Madras High Court, hearing a PIL petition that sought the preservation of the Keeladi site, ordered that Mr. Ramakrishna alone write the report on the first two phases.
