S. Rama Krishna Pisipaty
SCSVM University,
Enathur, Kanchipuram – 631561
India
Email – pisipaty@indiainfo.com
Kanchipuram (12 degrees 50’N & 79 degrees 25’E) is one of the important cities in the southern part of India from its very beginnings. Like so many ancient cities, Kanchipuram is also situated on the banks of a river, Vegavati—a rain fed subterranean river which now rarely has a visible flow of water. Today, the present city is situated a short distance away from the existing channel. Kanchipuram was the capital of the Early Cholas dynasty as far back as the 2nd century BCE and the capital of Pallava between the 6th and 8th centuries CE. The successive dynasties from the Pallavas to the Vijayanagar kings have consciously added to the architectural and religious grandeur of the city (Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. 1966). Rich in ancient monuments and inscriptions Kanchipuram was glorified in both Sanskrit and ancient Tamil literature. It was even eulogized by the Chinese traveler, Yuanchuang (7th century CE). Kanchipuram is revered as one of the seven sacred places of the Hindues. The city was ruled by illustrious monarchs from very celebrated dynasties like the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Rastrakutas, the Vijayanagaras, the Nayakas, the Pandyas, etc. together with Muslims and Britishers (Mahalingam, T.V. 1969). The foundations of south Indian art and architecture were truly laid in the region round sixth century CE. Kailasanath, Vaikunta Perumal, Kamakshi Amman, Ekambaranath, Varadaraja, Ulagananda, etc. are some of the unique examples of their artistic activities. Furthermore, this city was destined to become a great centre of literature. Many references to it can be found in the Sangam Tamil compositions. An institution for the advanced studies in Vedas called the Ghatika (advanced study centre) was also established here and this gave literary pre-eminence to Kanchipuram (Gurumurthy, S. 1970; 1979).

Figure 1: Terracotta single Massive Ring (105 X 55 X 6 cm) TCR 15

Since 1954, the temple areas within the city has been excavated on various occasions by the different organizations and institutions. Among them, both the state and central Archaeological Surveys and the University of Madras are noteworthy. In 1954 and 1962, the Archaeological Survey of India, the Government of India, and in 1975 the Department of Archaeology, Tamail Nadu undertook small-scale excavations. The major efforts were undertaken by the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Madras in between 1970 and 1976 at five different areas of Kanchipuram (Raman, K.V. 1978; 1979; 1987). All these efforts were within the present township area or temple areas. However, the Early Historical wealth of Kanchipuram remains to be fully probed. From the above excavations only the Pallava Dynasty period and a little concerning pre-Pallava have been studied. The influence of Early Buddhist, Jaina and Vedic (Ghatika) in this region is still in vague. Consequently, the Department of Sanskrit and Indian Culture, SCSVM University, Enathur, Kanchipuram has undertaken field explorations and excavations in various parts of the peripheral areas, the Palar and Vegavathi river basins and their palaeo-channels, etc.—all areas in and surrounding the present Kanchipuram town. Since the inception of this project in 1999 under the present author’s direction a good number of Black-and-Red Ware, Russet Coated Painted Ware, carved sculptures of the Jaina, Buddhist and Saiva sects have been collected. The project has traced evidence of early habitation in the area from a few centuries before the Common Era. They supplied some evidence on the chronological sequence, socio-cultural trends, etc., of the early culture of the region.
The Palar and Vegavathi are two major existing river systems among the seven rivers (saptanadi) mentioned in literature (Knchimahatyam) in the region under study. Palar (pal – milk – sheeranadi) is also a seasonal river. The river Vegavathi (vega + vathi – possessed of violent speed), which may be a split channel from Palar, travels through the Kanchipuram and again merges into the Palar. In 2006, on either side of the river Vegavathi, excavations were conducted in six different localities under the present author. Trenches were laid at different localities—at Tiruparuttikundram (3), Pillaiyarpalaiyam (3), Chintapulitopu (2), Eri (1), etc. and in the dried channel of the river Vegavathi (22). Tirupatrikundram, which is located on the right bank of river Vegavathi, is known in literature and tradition as the centre of Jaina (Jaina Kanchi) (Raman, K.V.1974:13-23). The site has been washed away by a flood that occurred in the river Vegavathi. Evidence of this flood can be discerned from the very pronounced erosion on the river edge. No house plans have been obtained, but there is evidence of walls of wattle-and-daub and kiln-baked brick of different sizes (the largest size, 51 X 25 X 15 cm, is very similar to the brick dimensions which occurred at Satavahana sites in the Deccan plateau).
The excavations have provided much new evidence of the habitational as well as ritual practices associated with the early society of the region under study. Terracotta rings for multiple purposes were among the important finds from the Vegavathi dried channel and they constitute the subject matter for the present paper.

Figure 2: Terracotta Ring with perforations

Figure 3: Terracotta Rings in three courses (diameter 75cm)
Hundreds of terracotta rings of different diameters and multiple courses were traced from the region during the field season. Within a stretch of two kilometers, more than fifty ring wells were traced and many more were noticed in distracted condition. All these were not for one single purpose. These were utilized not only for different domestic activities like storage, cattle feeding, well rings, soak pits, grain pounding, etc. but also for ritualistic activities (symbolic/secondary burial). Twenty-three localities with spacing of two kilometers were selected where we traced rings in different diameter from single to 14 courses (Figure1, 2 & 3) during the 2005-06 field season. Among these, four were for ritual purposes (secondary burial), while the others were for different domestic activities. Rings, except when utilized for ritualistic purposes, have been filled with river sand along with fallen brickbats, potsherds, and flood materials.

Figure 4: Grave Goods within Terracotta Rings (TRW 8)

Figure 5: Globular Vase with incisions in the form of a human body on painted portion from TCR 8
Rings which were used for ritualistic purposes were almost of same diameter (75 cm) and in seven courses filled with similar type of soil. Grayish compact clay with fine sand, which is not a local deposit, filled from the bottom to top with domical shape has been noticed in all four monuments. According to local people, this type of sand is used by gold smiths for smelting, purification, and other smith work. Funerary goods were noticed between the fourth and sixth course of the rings from the surface. The sixth and seventh rings were filled with clay (Figure 4). In all, five pots and one large half broken globular vessel’s lower portion have been unearthed in good condition from TCR 3, TCR 3a and TCR 8. All are in Red Ware, fine to medium fabric with or with out slip. The slip has been noticed down to the body portion while the flatter bottom portion is devoid of any slip. Of five pots, one has a spout, two are globular vases with similar measurements, one is a half broken globular vase (rim and neck portion up to body curve removed) and one is a cooking vessel (hundi) with firing marks (a thick lamp black on out side bottom portion) (Figure 8). Among the two globular vases, one with charred grains and other in liquid deposit marks were noticed. That the neck and rim portion were removed from the third globular vase in TCR 3a is worth mentioning. A portion of the inside of this vase is painted black (Figure 5). Here one can discern human shaped engravings (Figure 6). Head, neck and shoulders are incised on the painted portion after firing. The head is raised (may be a male?) and the face/skull is oval in shape [6 X 5 cm]. There is a long line for a nose, two small lines on either side for eyes, and three small cross lines for the chin, lips and mouth (Figure 6); all are incised perhaps with a sharp needle on the painted portion. Other body portions are not prominent but engraved in wavy lines. On the left side, another face (may be a female?) is discernable with a round shape [5 cm] though it has been depicted with less prominent lines (Figure 7). The eyes, nose, etc, facial parts are incised in a similar fashion to the figure mentioned above. It is facing in another direction and body details are not known.

Figure 6: Human Figure on painted portion inside the pot, from TRW 8

Figure 7: I & II – Human faces on painted portion of inside Globular Vase from
TRW 8

Figure 8: cooking vessel with lamp black on bottom from TCR 8
TCR 3, another locality traced in the region where the rings were also used for secondary burial. Apart from a globular cooking pot and storage vessels; important grave goods were unearthed here (Figure 9): a skin rubber [12 X 5.5 X 3.5 cm] of sand stone, a sc raper of crypto crystalline silica [8 X 5 X 1.5 cm], a round pebble with little flatter base [5.5 cm in diameter] and a lamp in Red Ware [7.5 cm in diameter]. Unidentified iron objects, (probably nail or knife?) were noticed along with some charred wood or bone pieces (?) from TCR 10. Rings and grave goods were disturbed and broken in to many pieces.

Figure 9: Grave Goods from TRW (five pots)
All these five rings were located with in a quarter kilometer area and little bit away from habitational area. Further, very near to these ring wells, a standing statue (Figure 11), locally popular as Harichandra, has also been noticed in granite stone. It possibly attests that the area was in continuous use for death rituals. The modern settlements are located little away from this area, on both sides of the river .

Figure 10: Grave Goods with in Terracotta Rings
A single massive ring is a noteworthy (Figure 1) find. It is in 105 cm in diameter and 55 cm in height. It is well finished and baked in oxidation condition. It may be used for feeding of a group of cattle. Another single course ring [60 X 40 X 5 cm], has also been noticed from habitational area with perforations on either side. The perforations may be for easy lifting and moving from one place to another (Figure 2). It is made of coarse fabric with rough finishing. It is baked in reduction condition in high temperature for a long period. This may be used for in pounding of grains to cover over on the hallow pit of big stone to avoid spill of grains. A similar type of terracotta object (jar) has been reported from Pallavamedu at a depth of 5.85 m below the surface (Sridharm T.S. (ed) 2004: 57, 8). Many more localities which were disturbed by the sand quarry and local people have been noticed and reported by the local people in the area.

Figure 11: Harishandra statue in granite stone

Figure 12: IV graffiti marks and inscribed sherds
The ceramic industry is characterized by the presence of the sprinklers, jars with plain and decorated, carinated and globular vases, lids, basins, bowls, etc in major fabrics like Red Ware, Red Slipped Ware, Black and Red Ware, Russet Coated Painted Ware and Black Ware. The inscribed and graffiti marks on pot shards have also been noticed in Red Ware, Black Ware, Red Slipped Ware, Black and Red Ware, Russet Coated Painted Ware, etc. All the marks were scratched only on the outer surface of the pot either on neck or body portion. The lines were incised with a sharp needle after firing. All the inscriptions are fragmentary and containing a few letters which are similar to other reported sites like Uraiyur, Arikamedu, Kanchipuram, Korkai, etc., in the region (Shanmugam,P 1983). Associated with other datable materials and stratified layers, these Brahmi letters are dated between First and Second century CE by Mortimer Wheeler and his fellow excavators (Raman, K.V. (ed). 1988). Post firing graffiti marks were also found along with inscribed sherds. The symbols range from small lines to complex designs. Terracotta figurines, beads, etc are some other noted antiquities. Molded kiln baked bricks in different sizes, carved stone objects are also noticed in the entire river bed.
References
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