INNOVATIVE WORK
ENDURING ARCHAEOLOGY:
REMNANTS OF PRE-HISTORIC CULTURES IN KERALA
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.