HARAPPA AND TAMIL CULTURE

HARAPPA AND TAMIL CULTURE

S. GURUMURTHY

The problems relating to the origin, antiquity and development of both Harappa and Tamil cultures are very difficult to solve, inspite of sustained work both theoretical and practical has been done during the last two decades or so. However it is gratifying to note that we possess enough material on hand evaluate the richness, greatness and advancement of these two cultures even for the period (i.e. proto - historic times) for which there are no written records                                                                                                

Problems in this Field of study : 

Further the ingredients of each culture have been examined and exposed by experts in the respective fields; but attempts have not been made so far to compare and correlate the material culture of these two groups of people who lived in two different planes and zones. Here, the author means material culture in the sense that it involves the study of the day to day life of the people as gleaned from archaeological excavations and explorations. The study was not seriously contemplated under one pretext or other such as the two cultures are separated by vast span of time and distance. 

Further, it was often being stated and stressed that the inscribed seal, the characteric feature of the Indus Culture is not reported so far in Tamil Nadu and hence it was concluded that neither the Harappa Culture nor its vestiges have reached Tamil Nadu. This ultimately led historians to beleive that the Harappan Culture cannot be equated with Tamil culture or even be associated with the latter. More over the Harappan influences or impact or even the traces which are hidden in the early Tamil culture are not brough to focus on the same ground of argument. 

The ill-informed or even mis-informed archaeologists have opted to consider Tamil culture as late as the beginning of the Christian era or a few centuries before the Christian era.

According to them, Tamil civilisation as portrayed in the Sangam literature or as revealed by the archaeological spade work corresponds to Historic period or Iron Age civilisation in South India and has to be bracketed within the Iron Age Culture of India, whereas the Harappan Culture corresponds to proto-his-toric period and Bronze Age civilisation chronologically, preceding the Iron Age in India. It was assumed that there was no Bronze Age worth mentioning in South India, more particularly in Tamil Nadu in the archaeological history. This gradation and the chronological framework or sequence as worked out or rather postulated by these archaeologists has led to ascribe a very late beginning to Tamilian civilisation in India. 

The date suggested for Harappa for Culture as known from C 14 dating is 4600 B.C. or slightly earlier where as the date supplied by the same C. 14 method for the Iron Age comes to 300 B.C. or slightly earlier. This implies a vast time gap between these two cultures and this hypothesis is alone responsible for the theory that Harappan and Tamilian civilisations are not in a relative position calling for any comparitive study or tracing any link between them. 

Therefore, the author shall first directs his argument with substantial material evidence to explode this theory, and unfold the mystery that surrounds the origin and antiquity of Tamil Culture. This will alone help us to prepare a safe and sound ground to build the theory that there are may be Cultural traits common to both Harappans and Tamilians. We shall take up points, one after another placing evidences to take back the antiquity of the so-called Iron Age culture of Tamilnadu to a period that corresponds to the end of Harappa culture or atleast late chalcolithic or Bronze Age of North India and Central India adjoining Maharashtra state. They are as follows: 

Origin of Iron Culture

The archaeological excavations and explorations conducted since 19th century have revealed the existence of the Iron Age culture in the bottom most level in most of the areas in Tamilnadu except a few north western districts like Dharmapuri, Salem, North Arcot and a few select pockets in Erode, Coimbatore and Madurai districts. In these districts too, except North Arcot, only a feeble sub-stratum of neolithic-chalcolithic culture was noticed in the lower most levels: Whereas the other southern districts like Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Ramnadu, Kanyakumari and also like Tanjavur, Chinglepet and South Arcot have revealed the full fledged Iron Age culture in the lower most levels and the neolithic stratum or even sub-stratum conspicuous by its absence. 

The earliest people, who occupied the majority of the areas in Tamil Nadu are the Iron using communities and their civilisation was far ahead of and more advanced than those of their predecessors namely stone using neolithic communities. This Iron Age culture is characterised by the profuse use of iron tools and equipment, copper in a restricted quantity and bronze very rarely. 

It is usually the accepted form to look for a lesser advanced or primitive culture developing into a more advanced or sophisticated culture in any period in any given region or country. Accordingly we have in India more particulary in western and Central India the neolithic-chalcolithic bronze age culture slowly and steadily blossoming into the Iron Age culture. 

The cultural traits as well as the equipment both industrial and domestic including pottery underwent radical changes, modification and modernisation depending upon the taste and needs of the people and availability of the raw material and natural resources in different zones or regions. Therefore when there was neolithic or bronze age succeeded by the Iron age in many parts of North India we had pure neolithic or neolithic-chalcolithic succeeded by Iron age culture in north western districts and Iron age culture succeeded by early and medieval cultures in many areas in Tamil Nadu as said earlier needs careful investigation and more particularly re-study or examination. 

We stress re-study because the many areas which comprise mostly the southern districts are said to have been habited only during the Iron age. This conclusion as derived from archaeological field work points that in those regions there were no habitations before the beginning of the Iron age. It may also be mentioned in this beginning of the Iron age. It may also be mentioned in this connection that the beginning of the Iron age in these areas was fixed not earlier than 5th century B.C. as evidenced from excavations. If this is no, how can we accerpt the theory that there was no human life in these areas before 5th century B.C. i.e. that too in the fertile lands watered by great and sacred rivers like Kaveri, Tambaraparani, Vaikai etc. 

Therefore, our earnest effort is to explode this myth and mis-informed theory. The points to be clarifled are when the Iron age in Tamil Nadu begins and whether there was any Bronze age in Tamilnadu. If these two problems are investigated, it will certainly throw light not only on the antiquity of Tamil culture but also on the link between Indus Culture and Tamil culture The reinvestigation is attempted in this paper mainly based upon the materials excavated already and recently. 

We do admit that there was no neolithic habitation in these areas mainly because it is not necessary that the whole of Tamil Nadu should have been occupied by the neolithic community in a given period. Further, it mainly depended upon the local conditions such as geological and physical features, climate, soil and availability or raw material etc. 

For instance, the north western districts are studded with hillocks and thick forests. Hence, these areas were preferred by the neolithic people and they afforded them with rock shelters, boulders for making their tools and utensils and wood for thatched sheds etc., whereas the southern region and lower Kaveri Valley were watered by great rivers like Vaigai, Tambaraparani and Kaveri respectively. In these areas, the fertility of the soil enabled the natives to lead a more comfortable and settled life-which naturally led to the blossoming of civilised society and development of metallurgy. 

Moreover, the western coastal regions were open to the west Asian countries like Greece, Iran, Palastine etc. which were on the threshold of civilisation and passing through the socalled bronze-Iron Age. Hence, overseas contact with these countries led to the migration of people and ideas and material to the Tamil country. They mingled and dissolved with our culture. This is the first important point to be borne in mind. 

Secondly it may be the Harappan people, after the destruction of their society and culture moved towards South through central India and Decan and penetrated deep into the Tamil country. This is possible because the vestiges of their culture, more particularly their seals have been noticed upto Mysore in Karnataka and Kurnul in Andhra. In the Tamil country, they could have settled down along with the native Tamils and identified themselves with the local culture i.e. late chalcolithic-bronze age and early i.e. Iron age culture. Here, it must be pointed out that their migration from the Indus region to Tamil country was not taken place right from the beginning, and more over, they passed through Central India and Deccan and probably would have stayed and settled there for some time and later on would have been forced to leave those areas and more further South because of the stress and strain enforced upon them by the local people. At last they could have reached Tamilnadu. 

By the time they reached Tamilnadu, it seems they have lost their identity and cultural equipment and finally dissolved with local Tamils. Therefore, it could have taken atleast a few centuries for them to pass through the above said areas before reaching Tamilnadu. This may explain the time gap noticed between the date of the Harappa culture and the Iron-bronze age of Tamil Nadu.

We shall now deal with the other problem namely the chronology of Iron age culture in Tamilnadu and its prortimity to Harappa culture. The Iron age is dated to earlier than 5th century B.C. in Tamil Nadu. This was mostly based upon relative chronology obtained from a few excavated sites like Tirukkampuliyur, Alagarai and Uraiyur in Tiruchirapalli district. But recent excavations and an exhaustive analysis of pottery types from various sites in Tamil Nadu point to an earlier dating for this culture. The dating is now dealt with in relation to the Site concerned as follows: In Korkai (Tirunelveli dist) the C. 14 dating available in 805+95 B.C. and Paiyampalli (North Arcot) 640+105 B.C. These two dates suggest Tamil nadu was in the grip of Iron Age during the beginning of the 1st millennium B.C.

Secondly, the pottery from Korkai not only confirms this dating but gives more information to link this site with Harappa culture. For instance, the large dishes (of block-and-red ware) with short spouts luted to the middle or lower middle belly have analogous in Harappan sites. Similarly, a few bowls and urns from Adichanallur (now in Government Museum, Madras) are also akin to those from Harappan sites. The C. 14 dating for other iron age sites like Kanchipuram (480 B.C.) (Chingleput district) Appukkallu, (300 B.C) (North Arcot district) and Kaveripoompattinam (316 + 103 B.C.) Tanjavur District suggest not earlier than 5th century B.C. for the Iron age culture. 

Even in these sites, the dates obtained are not to be applied to the beginning of the iron age culture. They simply point that during the 5th century B.C. people in these areas were passing through the Iron age. Because, the charcoal samples sent for C. 14 dating from these sites are not from the bottom most layer but only from the lower most level. Therefore there is a every possibility of getting earlier dating for the culture in these areas in future. 

Further T. Balakrishna Nayar, who studied the Iron age pottery collection from Coimbatore graves, suggest the beginning of first millennium B.C. for this pottery. The shapes studied by the author do confirm not only the views of Balakrishna Nayar, but also suggests some links with the pre-Harappan ceramics. 

[Pre-Iron Age

The pottery types from iron age burials from Palani hills (collected by Anglade) includes mostly Chalcolithic pottery types datable to Jorwe culture - 1400 - 1200 B.C. (Allchin's classification of phase 3. The shapes are such as trays, jugs, lipped bowls etc. These are not met with in the iron age pottery of South India; while studying in the pottery from Brahmagiri (Mysore) and Pondicherry Allchin suggested the possibility of the existence of Pre-Iron age phase (bronze age) in South India. 

This point needs careful consideration and the iron age pottery from Tamilnadu (Particularly from Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Salem, Dharmapuri, North Arcot districts) has to be re studied and classified in the light of Allchin remarks. The investigations and fresh explorations and excavations have to be undertaken in these areas to have a good undertaking of the pre-iron age phase and also its links with the bronze age culture of North India or Harappa. 

The large number of bronze and gold objects from Adichchanallur, Nilgiris and Soutukeni point to the existence of bronze age culture in these areas in Tamilnadu. Though they are found mixed with iron and copper objects in the burials, they are a class by themselves. The objects from Adichchanallur include diadems, bowls, cups with various animal and bird topped. The animals shown are dog, cock, deer etc. They are shown singly or collectively. Some of the diadems were covered with gold leaf. Incised geometrical and embossed dots are found decorating these vases. Chemical analysis of the objects show 23% of tin. It is believed that the objects were locally manufactured and not imported. 

The Nilgiris bronze objects include varieties of cups, bowls, vases, lamps, rings, bangles, dagger etc. and bear elaborate designs. They represent and advanced technology in bronze working. The animal and bird topped lids are not found here. But they are represented in the earthen ware vessels. The bronze objects are not cast but cold worked and forges. A few bowls recall gold bowls from Ur. Chemical analysis show an alloy with 29.89% tin. Soutukeni yielded more gold jewellery then bronze objects. But it may be also bracketed within bronze age culture as certain forms of pottery from this site lend colour to this assumption. 

Therefore in the light of above facts, it cannot be said that there was no bronze age culture in Tamilnadu. It may be suggested that some parts of Tamilnadu (were particularly Palani hills, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli and Nilgiris) had passed through the bronze age-but the existence of that phase has to be identified and distinguished with the help of fresh excavations. 

In the light of above discussion it may be suggested that the so called iron age or megalithic age in Tamilnadu would have commenced around 1400 B.C. (i.e. this is date suggested for the Jorwe culture of Maharashtra). Hence the time gap between Harappa culture and the early Tamil culture has been considerably harrowed down and this may facilitate scholars to link the latter culture atleast with the end of the Harappa culture. 

Similarities 

We shall now compare some select antiquities and objects from field work in Tamil Nadu with those of Harappan or Pre Harappan. Rather the following are found common to both cultures.

Globular or pyriform urns with graffiti 
Mega,lithic burials 
Ring wells (from Kanchipuram excavation) 
Huge bricks measuring 18" x 13" x 3½ (from Kanchipuram excavations). 
Mother goddess terracotta figures (made and shown below the bust only) (from Tirukkampuliyur excavatgions) 
Bronze vessels - (from Adichchanallur) (now at Madras Government museum) 
Semi-precious stone beads - round, barrel shaped and etched beads (from all over Tamilnadu) 
Bronze figure of a lady with peculiar head dress (from Adichchanallur) recalls not only Harappan-but also pre-Harappan from Pakistan.) 
Multiple pots (from Nilgiris megalithic-now at Madras Government Museum). 
The following vessel types-ring stones, dish-on stand, incense burner (Thirukkampuliyur) Goblet, lota etc. 
The following graffiti appearing as letters Both in the Harappan script and Brahmi. 
The skulls from Adichchanallur represent meditteranean race and bear close resemblance to Harappan skulls.  

Besides the above, there are few more objects which are found to occur both in Tamilnadu and Harappa and later Harappan sites. These similarities go to prove that Harappa and Tamil culture are related to one another and this comparative study is still in its infant stage and may receive greater attention as and when restudy of the material from past excavations is taken up and fresh excavations are conducted in promising sites near Adchchanalllur.

This is only a short summary of the subject and it is under serious investigation by the author. 

REFERENCES

John Marshall, S.- Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, New Delhi, 1973.

Gurumurthy, S.-Archaeology and Tamil Culture, Madras University, 1974. 

Gurumurthy, S.-Recent Archaeological Investigations and Tamil Culture, Bulletin of the Institute of Traditional culture, Madras. 1978. 

Gurumurthy, S-Ceramic Traditions of South India, Madras University, 1981.

Mahalingam, T.V.-Excavations in the Lower Kaveri Valley, Madras University, 1969.

Narasimhan. -Neolithic and Megalithic culture of Tamilnadu, New Delhi, 1980.

Ramachandran, K.S.- Archaeology of South India.Tamilnadu - New Delhi, 1980.