Village : Vadakekkara
Taluk : North Paravur
Panchayat : Chittatukara
District: Ernakulam
Location: At pattanam about One kilometers from Kodungallur-Paravur Route.
The Pattanam excavations were the first ever multi-disciplinary excavations undertaken in Kerala State. The first part of the project was a surface survey for archaeological and historical evedence in the region. This was followed by extensive excavations at the early historic urban site of Pattanam. The main objective of the excavation was to search for archaeological evidence that would help to locate / identify an early historic Musiri on the Malabar Coast. The first phase of excavations was carried out by Kerala Council for Historical Reserch from 18th February to 8th April 2007 in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India, the State Government of Archaeology and Tourism and Revenue Department.
The site at pattanam covers approximately 1.5 sq. km and the core area mesures about 600x400 m. The north-eastern part of the site was chosen for the excavation based on the surface exploration undertaken earlier. The “Locus methodology” adopted for this excavation distinguished each layer/feature/pit/structure/activity area on the basis of colour, texture and composition.
Many important finds were obtained like human bones, storage jars, a gold ornament, glass beads, stone beads, utilitarian objects made of stone, coper and iron, typical pottery, early Chera coins, brick wall, brick platform, ring well, Wharf with bollards, and a six meter long wooden canoe parallel to the wharf structure about 2.5 m. below surface level. The structures indicates a vast urban settlement. The excavations suggest that the site was first occupied by the indigenous “Megalithic” (Iron Age) people, followed by the Roman contact in the early Historic Perion. |
