Kandalurai

Kandalurai is an archaeological site located in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, India. The site is situated about 150 kilometers south of Chennai, near the village of Thoravalai. Excavations at Kandalurai have unearthed significant artifacts and structures dating back to the Neolithic period, specifically the Meenakshi Subramaniam complex.

The site is notable for its timber-lined dolmen-style buildings, which are characteristic of the Neolithic period in South India. These structures have a large stone slab covered by a smaller stone slab, supported by wooden posts. The construction of these buildings suggests a specific skill set and culture of the people who built them. The timber-lined structures at Kandalurai are the first reported instance of such a design in the region.

Apart from the timber-lined buildings, the excavations at Kandalurai have also uncovered other structures, including a square-shaped megalithic tomb and pottery kilns. Pottery found at the site includes red and green slips, often used for making vessels. Other artifacts discovered at Kandalurai include copper tools, terracotta figurines, and iron objects such as knives and arrowheads.

The unearthed pottery and artifacts demonstrate a significant level of Neolithic settlement and culture in South India, specifically during the 16th and 17th centuries. The findings at Kandalurai shed light on the lives and traditions of communities that lived in the region before the modern period.