Tamil NaduTuesday, 7 July 2026·Hindu Tamil Thisai
Tenkasi Malaiyadipatti excavation reveals 2,500-year-old stepped well, a first in Tamil Nadu
Archaeologists at Malaiyadipatti in Tenkasi district found a 2,500-year-old stepped well, along with Sangam-age and burial evidence.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In July 2026, the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology reported a 2,500-year-old stepped, square brick well at the Malaiyadipatti excavation site near Karivalamvandal in Tenkasi district.
Key specifics
- The excavation at Malaiyadipatti used 16 trenches, and the well was found in a 4 x 4 metre structure.
- The well is described as a first-of-its-kind stepped structure in any excavation in Tamil Nadu.
- Archaeologists noted brick walls, stone steps, and signs of prolonged use, suggesting a water source in summer.
- Finds included 6 gold coins from 1930 at Karichaththan village, black-and-red ware, glass beads, terracotta figurines, iron objects, and hematite ore.
- The site also yielded burial pits with urn burials and painted pots, indicating habitation from the Neolithic to historical periods.
Exam lens
Archaeology question type, Tenkasi district, Malaiyadipatti, 16 trenches, 2,500-year-old stepped well, Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology; TNPSC may ask which site produced the first stepped well and what other artefacts were found.