Stalin announces $1 million reward for decoding Indus Valley civilisation’s secrets

A three-day seminar has brought together renowned archaeologists, historians, and scholars from across the globe to discuss the civilisation's significance and its connections with Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a prize of one million US dollars for archaeologists who can decipher and provide a coherent understanding of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

This announcement was made during the inaugural ceremony of the International Seminar on the Centenary of the Discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, held at the Government Museum in Egmore on Sunday.

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The three-day seminar has brought together renowned archaeologists, historians, and scholars from across the globe to discuss the civilisation’s significance and its connections with Tamil Nadu.

In his keynote address, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted that approximately 60 per cent of the symbols found on Indus Valley pottery are identical to those discovered on artefacts unearthed during excavations in Tamil Nadu.

He emphasised that this striking similarity has sparked immense interest among scholars and could potentially unlock the mysteries of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

To further promote research in this field, the Chief Minister also announced a grant of Rs 2 crore to establish a research chair in the name of renowned archaeologist Iravatham Mahadevan. This chair will facilitate in-depth studies on the Indus Valley Civilisation, with a particular focus on its ties to Tamil Nadu.

It may be noted that recent archaeological findings from Sivakalai in Tuticorin have brought researchers closer to establishing a definitive connection between Tamil Nadu and the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Dating of these finds places them between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE. Interestingly, the finds from Tamil Nadu suggest the presence of an Iron Age civilisation that ran parallel to the Indus Valley Civilisation, which spanned from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.

While the Indus Valley Civilisation predominantly used copper objects during this time, the presence of iron objects in Tamil Nadu suggests an advancement in the Metal Age. This intriguing discovery has captivated historians and archaeologists alike.

Additionally, ongoing studies are examining graffiti marks found in Tamil Nadu during excavations to determine their connection to the undeciphered Indus script. The results of these studies could shed light on whether the graffiti marks are linked to the Indus Valley Civilisation.