Tamil Nadu News

Fifth-Century Hero Stones

August 25 , 2026 16 hrs 0 min 14 0

A 5th-century hero stone inscription from the Sangam period has been unearthed at Malayadipatti village, Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu.
The discovery was made during excavations by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA).
The stone was found inside a stepped brick well that was in use during the Sangam period and was later filled with stones and bricks.
The hero stone is 1 metre long and 0.30 metre wide and has four lines of inscription.
Its script represents a transitional stage from Tamil-Brahmi to Vattezhuthu.
The inscription mentions Karukkan, Sulagan, Nannang and Kodiyan and indicates that it commemorates Nannang Kodiyan, son of Karukkan Sulagan.
Archaeologists said hero stones of the Sangam and post-Sangam periods generally did not have warrior figures, and this stone also has no warrior depiction.
Other Sangam-period hero stones without warrior figures have been found at Pulimankombai, Aappanur and Mallikapuram.
Excavations at Malayadipatti have also recovered artefacts that provide information about the life, occupations and trade of people during the Sangam period.