After 15 years, archaeologists have resumed their excavations in other channels in the district of Tamil Nadu, India. It took them 117 years to find gold again, but this time they found a gold crown that is more than three thousand years old. This discovery has raised questions about what else lies buried in other channels and what these findings tell us about an important archaeological site that is close to Korkai, an ancient Pandian port city.

Port cities were the epicenter of a lot of trade and activities, and around any port city, there will be satellite villages feeding it. Experts believe that other channels could have been one, but to study this further, they feel that the entire Tamira Bharani river basin has to be surveyed. Excavations over the years show that Aadhar Chanalur used to be an earned burial ground in the Iron Age. In 2004-2005, archaeologists found urns filled with human remains, bronze, and iron objects.

This cemetery is believed to be around three thousand years old. Just as excavation was stopped in Kiridi near Madurai, Aadha Chanalur was also abandoned. Tamil people and politicians were not happy with this move. In 2020, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a budget had been allotted for large-scale excavations at Ardha Chanalu and four other sites. Excavations began in October 2021 and have been very encouraging. The department has been using advanced technology and data from the Geological Survey of India to locate sites that will provide the best findings. Apart from the gold diadem or crown, the ASI team also found bronze artifacts, headgear, spear arrowheads, dog toy, and paddy in another trench beside it. At 30 centimeters depth, they found a small gold ring which could have belonged to a child. Officials say that it is one of the best sites excavated after a century.

In 1903, British archaeologist Alexander Ria found 14 gold diadems. He unearthed more than 9000 objects here. These findings help in putting together a framework of how the civilization functioned 3000 years ago. Gold was traded as a commodity from 1000 BC onwards since the beginning of the megalithic or iron age in South India. This could be one of the reasons for finding gold ornaments.
The granulite terrain in Tamil Nadu is also said to yield gold, but there is no information on when it was mined and used through the years. Tamil cultural artifacts are unearthed in Vietnam, Cambodia, and other South East and Far East Asian countries. This shows that there was a lot of free trade happening from the iron age till the early 17th century. While these findings tell us a lot about civilization, the bones and human remains give a lot of information about evolution. The discovery of the gold crown and other artifacts has raised questions about the significance of the Tamira Bharani river basin and its role in ancient trade and commerce.
The fact that there are many other channels in the area that have not been surveyed indicates that there could be many more discoveries waiting to be made. It is also possible that there are other ancient port cities that have not yet been discovered in the region. Overall, the recent excavations at Ardha Chanalu and other sites in Tamil Nadu have given us valuable insights into the history of South India and its role in ancient trade and commerce. The discovery of the gold crown and other artifacts is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the region and its importance in shaping the history of the world. As archaeologists continue to uncover more evidence, we can look forward to a better understanding of the past and the role that ancient civilizations played in shaping the world we live in today.