May 18 2015 : The Times of India (Hyderabad)
RARE DISCOVERY PUSHES BACK IRON AGE IN INDIA
| Siddharth Tadepalli |
| Hyderabad: |
Iron Artefacts Found In UoH Dates To Roughly 2,200 BC
Iron Age may have come into existence in Telangana much before earlier thought. At least that's the conclusion reached by archaeologists excavating the University of Hyderabad campus who found iron artefacts dating back to roughly 2,200 BC.
The team of archaeologists, led by professor KP Rao, has found several artefacts, including small knives and blades besides earthen pots. "The implements were tested at National Geo physical Research Institute (NGRI) using a method called Optically Simulated Luminescence (OSL). The metal objects were dated to anywhere between 1,800 BC and 2,400 BC. So we are assuming they were made during 2200 BC," Prof KP Rao told TOI. This, he said, predates the existing understanding about the advent of the Iron Age in the country. Worldwide, experts have put the dawn of the age around 1,200 BC, marking the time when humans started exploiting metals to make basic tools. "In India, it was understood that the Iron Age came into being around 1,800 BC in the Lahuradeva region of Uttar Pradesh. But this latest development shows that the Iron Age started much before that, at least in our country ," Rao said.
"It only goes to show that our ancestors had a rudimentary yet good knowledge about wielding weapons made of metals. We had estimated that the only metal that was moulded was copper, but due to its scarce nature it was not a feasible option.The idea of using abundant iron ore for tools and weapons is a landmark achievement," he added.
Currently , archaeologists have excavated 25 burial sites in the UoH area and the samples have been subjected to DNA analysis.
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