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The ancient archaeological site of Adichanallur, famous for its urn burials, is located in:
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Answer: Option C — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
Adichanallur (Adichanallur) is an ancient archaeological site in the Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) district of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Tamirabarani river.
About Adichanallur:
It is an Iron Age burial site, with a very large number of burial urns (large clay pots) in which the dead were buried.
It was first excavated by a German archaeologist, Dr. Jagor, in 1876, and later by Alexander Rea of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1899-1905.
Further excavations were carried out by the ASI in 2004-2005, and later by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology.
Important finds:
- Thousands of burial urns containing human skeletons.
- Iron tools and weapons, such as swords, daggers, axes and spears.
- Gold diadems (forehead ornaments), bronze objects, pottery (especially black-and-red ware), and beads.
- Some urns had Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions.
- Remains of a habitation area, potters' quarters and a fortification wall.
- Carbon dating of some objects suggests dates from about the 15th-9th century BCE (some estimates are debated).
Importance:
- It is one of the most important Iron Age sites in south India.
- It gives information about the burial customs, technology and culture of the early people of Tamil Nadu, before the Sangam age.
- The Government of India announced the development of Adichanallur as one of five "iconic archaeological sites" in the Union Budget of 2020-21, with an on-site museum.
Other important archaeological sites of Tamil Nadu:
- Keeladi (Keezhadi) near Madurai: an urban settlement of the Sangam age.
- Sivakalai: an Iron Age site in Thoothukudi district.
- Kodumanal (Erode district): an ancient industrial and trade centre.
- Korkai: an ancient Pandya port near Thoothukudi.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have other Iron Age and megalithic sites.
Quick tip
Remember: Adichanallur = Tamil Nadu (Thoothukudi district, Tamirabarani river; Iron Age urn burials; one of five "iconic sites" in Budget 2020-21); Keeladi = Sangam-age site near Madurai.
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Indus Valley Civilisation — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indus Valley Civilisation, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilisation was one of the world's earliest urban civilisations, flourishing around 2500-1900 BCE. This topic covers its major sites, town planning, drainage, seals, script, trade, crafts, religious beliefs and the theories about its decline. Questions mostly link a site to its feature or its present-day location: the Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro, the dockyard at Lothal (Gujarat), the ploughed field at Kalibangan (Rajasthan) and the water reservoirs at Dholavira. Remember that Harappa was the first site excavated, by Daya Ram Sahni in 1921, and that the Harappan script has still not been deciphered. Practise the Indus Valley Civilisation questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.