INNOVATIVE WORK REPORT

                                                          INNOVATIVE WORK

                                                ENDURING ARCHAEOLOGY:
                     REMNANTS OF PRE-HISTORIC CULTURES IN KERALA

Introduction

              In the process of writing of history in India, there was a premeditated neglect of South India as such. This historical trend later on got rectified with the adding up of more and more historical events and sources fixing the inevitable position of South India. However ,in the Archaeological map of India, South India had a decisive role to play , when the antiquity of the entire subcontinent was established dating back to about a million years with the discovery of Palaeolithic tools from Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu in 1863 (R.B.Foote). This epochal discovery thus changed the course of pre-history of India and also the antiquity of humankind who lived in Indian sub continent, thus brightening up the dark ages of Indian Prehistory; thus putting India on the world map of Prehistory.

            Though this was the case, Kerala as a geographical and anthropological entity was cornered from the pre-historic (Palaeolithic) map of India until 1974. The hostile environment and non –discovery of any Palaeolithic evidences was hypothesized to be the reason for Kerala’s ‘isolation’ in prehistoric studies. Though remnants of other prehistoric cultures , largely of Megalithic ,were identified since 1819,the lack of evidential source belonging to early ages berefted Kerala of its archaeological antiquity. The discovery of a Paleolithic tool in 1974 (Rajendran) had the answer for this impasse, which etched Kerala’s identity in the Prehistoric atlas of India.

             Subsequent discoveries and explorations further reiterated the uniqueness of Kerala’s prehistoric culture. Certain recent discoveries are decisive ,such as the exploration of Palaeolithic tools under sea-bed and the  like, sufficing to redefine or critique the geographical ,anthropological , historical and archaeological theories on Ancient Kerala.

Purpose of the work

                     Prehistory/archaeology  is an area which is seldom touched upon or sidelined by the academia in the school curricula, other than a passing indication , no detailed description is endeavored in school levels. The essentials of prehistory, the initial findings of human habitations and their subsistence, culture, art, livelihood, industry, burial are much interrogative and needs more detailed study, hence to be appreciated for the present and posterity.Archaeology and prehistory are much interest provocating to the students and hence they need to be documented, particularly of South India and Kerala, which remains as the cradle of humankind in India.The richness of prehistory and archaeology of Kerala and innumerable recent discoveries has added it to the World map of prehistory.Henceforth this discoveries and facets of kerala’s prehistory and archaeology , which remained hidden are to be brought to the upcoming generations, so as to aware them of their rich heritage and explorations of the kind  and for the liking of the subject.The relevance of the work lies at this ‘exposure’ of  these not so deliberated field of Keralas prehistoric heritage and its recent explorations, by documenting it through the innovative work.

 The pages of this innovative work intends to reveal the milestones and peculiarities of the prehistory of Kerala until the currently explored ones. These remnants of the early men are keys to unlock the mysteries on the life of early humans in Kerala.

The decisive discoveries from the primary to the most recent ones, all have many firsts to be credited and added in the prehistoric chronicle of Kerala, the newer ones further supplementing or rectifying the existing notions of early life here. The latest discoveries of Rock arts (Piralimattom), Anthropomorphic motifs (Tuvari), Lion figurine, Palaeolithic tool from under sea-bed, Neolithic axes with Brahmi scripts, Iron ingots and motifs, burials etc. has redacted the historical /archaeological/ anthropological theories in vogue. New chapters in human life, its existence, settlement, subsistence, culture, beliefs, technologies, etc., are being incorporated. These discoveries are strong enough to fill up the existing gaps in the writing/understanding of Kerala’s prehistoric past through experiments and conjectures. Several skeptical queries have been countered and more awaits.

 The antiquity of Kerala’s prehistory dating from the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age could be established on the perusal of this work. The prehistoric culture leading to an advanced settled stage can be seen at Muziris (in archaeological point of view), where the remnants reveals of the continuation of Iron age phase (supported by presence of Iron age artefacts /antiquities).Thus a continuing phase of human settlement could be traced.

This endeavor thus efforts to lay in front a summary of the archaeological evidences, capable enough to comprehend the prehistoric culture of Kerala, also setting its vision wide open to upcoming excavations touching the core of human history in Kerala, through its self narrating pages.