India’s Iron Age originated in TN 5,300 yrs ago, claims Stalin. Will it reshape history?

The Iron Age in India began in Tamil Nadu 5,300 years ago, according to groundbreaking findings announced by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. This revelation, backed by rigorous scientific evidence, challenges long-held global assumptions about the origins of iron smelting technology.

Releasing a comprehensive 73-page report, Antiquity of Iron – Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu, authored by K Rajan and R. Sivanandam, Chief Minister Stalin asserted that the history of the Indian subcontinent must now begin with Tamil Nadu. The findings, based on radiometric dating techniques and validated by 10 experts across India, suggest iron technology in Tamil Nadu dates back to 3345 BCE.

Scientific evidence and key findings

The report’s evidence was gathered using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) analyses on samples from Sivagalai, Adichennallur, Mailadumparai, and Keelnamandi. These results push back the Iron Age timeline in India to the 3rd millennium BCE.

Globally, the Iron Age has traditionally been associated with the Hittite Empire in Anatolia, around 1300 BCE. However, Tamil Nadu’s findings suggest that the smelting of iron occurred here much earlier, marking it as a significant milestone in the evolution of metallurgy.

"The findings provide evidence that iron technology in Tamil Nadu dates back to 3345 BCE," said K Rajan, a co-author of the report.

Early iron smelting and artefacts

Excavations in Tamil Nadu have unveiled three types of iron smelting furnaces in Kodumannal, Chettipalayam, and Perungalur, showcasing advanced techniques. Burial sites like Sivagalai Parambu revealed 160 urns containing iron artefacts such as knives, arrowheads, chisels, and swords.

One paddy sample from a burial urn at Sivagalai was dated to 1155 BCE, while charcoal and potsherds from the same site were dated to 2953–3345 BCE, marking the earliest evidence of iron technology globally. At Mailadumparai, samples from 2172 BCE further confirmed early iron usage.

Global and regional implications

The discovery redefines global Iron Age timelines and highlights Tamil Nadu’s pivotal role in metallurgy innovation. Notably, the findings propose that the Copper Age in North India and the Iron Age in South India were likely contemporaneous.

Former ASI director general Rakesh Tiwari observed that an independent civilization evolved and developed in Tamil Nadu, with dates now coming to the 3rd millennium BCE, supported by strong evidence.

Legacy of TN metallurgy

Sites like Adichennallur, near the river Tamirabarani, revealed a wealth of artefacts, including finely crafted ceramics and bronze ornaments. Unique finds, such as bronze animal figurines and a mother goddess idol, further establish Tamil Nadu as a center of early cultural innovation.

TN Udayachandran, Tamil Nadu’s Commissioner of Archaeology, emphasised the scientific rigor of these discoveries and said "We used carbon dating and OSL technologies across multiple global laboratories, confirming our findings beyond doubt."

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