April 05, 2006

Oldest Hero Stone Found

Hero stones over 2,300 years old and inscribed with the Tamil Brahmi script have been discovered, for the first time, at Puliyamkombai in Andipatti taluk of Theni district.

The three-foot high stones seem to be a part of urn burials found in large numbers in the area.

The first hero stone has three lines that read, "Kal pedu tiyan antavan kudal ur akol," which means it has been put up in memory of Tiyan Antavan of pedu village, who died in a cattle raid at Kudalur. The second stone is partly broken. The inscription says it is in memory of Atan. The full name of the village and the man could not be ascertained as the stone has been damaged. The inscription on the third stone reveals that it is in memory of Patavan Avvan of Velur.

This is the earliest inscription found so far in Tamil Nadu.

More information in the Hindu Report

1 comment:

nalliyakkodan said...

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