Tamil Nadu News

Thelunganur Archaeological Discovery

October 11 , 2026 8 hrs 0 min 39 0

A possible 3,000-year-old writing system was discovered at Thelunganur, near the Mettur Dam in Salem district, Tamil Nadu.
An intact black-and-red ware bowl was found with five graffiti symbols arranged from left to right, the longest such sequence recorded in Tamil Nadu.
A second bowl carries the same five symbols in a different order, suggesting a possible early writing system.
The symbols may represent a precursor to Tamil-Brahmi, which dates to the 6th century BCE.
Thelunganur and nearby Mangadu are Iron Age sites dated to 1600–1200 BCE; graffiti marks from Tamil Nadu sites show around 90% similarity to those found at Indus Valley sites.
Other findings include iron weapons, a possible ancient steel sword, a 1.9-metre iron spear and skeletal remains of two individuals.
Four burial types were identified: pit, cist, urn and sarcophagus.