Study claims Iron Age began in Tamil Nadu, predating other regions of the world

Based on a recent study on the use of iron, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin claimed that the State was a pioneer in the use of iron, dating back to 3345 BCE, placing it ahead of many regions in the world during the Iron Age.

Stalin made this claim during the release of the report Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu, authored by researchers K. Rajan and R. Sivanantham, who reportedly conducted a scientific study on samples from Sivagalai in Thoothukudi district to arrive at this hypothesis.

The study utilised techniques like Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), with the samples analysed at laboratories in the USA and India, including the Beta Analytic Testing Laboratory and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences.

The results, believed to be have been validated for accuracy, confirm that Tamil Nadu’s iron smelting practices date back over 5,300 years, predating similar developments in many parts of the world and showcasing the advanced metallurgical skills of ancient Tamil society.

Smelting iron required high temperatures of 1,200°C to 1,400°C, a technological feat that likely played a crucial role in agricultural advancements, trade, and the formation of state systems. Earlier findings from sites like Adichanallur, Mayiladumparai, and Kilnamandi had indicated iron usage between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE, but the latest study pushes the timeline further back.

Chief Minister Stalin also laid the foundation stones for museums at Keeladi and Gangaikondacholapuram to preserve and showcase Tamil Nadu’s historical legacy. The findings, which position Tamil Nadu’s Iron Age as contemporary with the Copper Age in northern India, underscore the region’s global significance in cultural and technological history.