CM Stalin Announces $1 Million Prize for Decoding the Indus Valley Civilisation
The announcement was made during the inaugural ceremony of the International Seminar on the Centenary of the Discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, held at the Government Museum in Egmore on Sunday.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has declared a prestigious prize of one million US dollars for archaeologists who can decipher and offer a comprehensive understanding of the enigmatic Indus Valley Civilisation.
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The announcement was made during the inaugural ceremony of the International Seminar on the Centenary of the Discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, held at the Government Museum in Egmore on Sunday.
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A Seminar to Explore the Indus Valley’s Significance
The three-day seminar, which has attracted renowned archaeologists, historians, and scholars from around the world, aims to delve into the importance of the Indus Valley Civilisation and explore its possible connections to Tamil Nadu. The event serves as a platform to share research and ideas about this ancient civilisation and its potential link to the southern region of India.
Stalin Highlights Link Between Indus Valley and Tamil Nadu
In his keynote address, Chief Minister Stalin revealed that approximately 60 percent of the symbols found on pottery from the Indus Valley are strikingly similar to those discovered on artefacts unearthed in Tamil Nadu. This similarity has sparked widespread interest among scholars and researchers, leading to renewed efforts to decode the mysteries of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
“We are seeing a remarkable resemblance in the symbols found on Indus Valley pottery and those found in Tamil Nadu. This connection could potentially open up new doors in understanding this ancient civilisation,” stated Stalin.
Grant for Research on Indus Valley Civilisation
To encourage further research, CM Stalin also announced a grant of Rs 2 crore to establish a research chair named after the renowned archaeologist Iravatham Mahadevan. This initiative aims to promote in-depth studies on the Indus Valley Civilisation, with a special focus on its historical and cultural ties to Tamil Nadu.
Recent Archaeological Findings Strengthen the Tamil Nadu-Indus Connection
Recent archaeological discoveries in Sivakalai, Tuticorin, have provided further evidence of a potential link between Tamil Nadu and the Indus Valley Civilisation. Dating between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE, these finds suggest the existence of an Iron Age civilisation in Tamil Nadu that ran parallel to the Indus Valley Civilisation, which existed from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
While the Indus Valley Civilisation predominantly utilized copper objects, the presence of iron tools and artifacts in Tamil Nadu suggests a more advanced Metal Age in the region. This discovery has generated significant interest among historians and archaeologists.
Research on Tamil Nadu Graffiti Marks and Indus Script
In addition to these archaeological finds, ongoing research is investigating graffiti marks discovered in Tamil Nadu during excavations to determine whether they are related to the undeciphered Indus script. The results of these studies could provide vital insights into the connections between Tamil Nadu and the Indus Valley Civilisation, potentially helping to unlock the mysteries of the ancient script.
