Aidentify and map the poverstigations undertaken for more than haldived in metallurgy, gemstone s the archaeological investigations undertaken for more than half a century in Tamil Nadu to cutting, boat building, pearl fishing, textile production and glass making met with encouraging results. These results were treated as specific inputs to understand the exact role played by each technology in shaping Tamil society. Long survivals of these industries, irrespective of vast industrialization, induced the authors to record and document this traditional craftsmanship as they had a direct bearing in understanding the history of science and technology. This technological advancement had a direct bearing on trade, both internal and international and overall social and economic development. The Sangam literature and foreign accounts elaborate on the existence of iron metallurgy, gemstone cutting, pearl and chank fishing and many other technological aspects in the early historic period. The technological know-how and social developments are interrelated. It interacts directly with society and decisively shapes it.
Therefore, understanding the significance of resource zones that sustained the pre-industrial metallurgical operations is one of the critical factors in the development of a society. The utilization of a particular raw material in the production of luxury, prestige, utilitarian or ritual items was conditioned by the supply and demand-based factors such as the functional value of the item, the level of material development in society, direct or indirect access to strategic resources, the possession of suitable technology for resource extraction and production including the existence of an exchange mechanism facilitating the movement of raw material and finished products.
Thus, the Government of Tamil Nadu felt it was necessary to bring traditional technological wealth through target-oriented archaeological explorations and excavations. The recent scientific dates encountered in the excavated sites at Adichchanallur, Sivagalai, Mayiladumparai, Kilnamandi, Mangadu and Thelunganur demanded a fresh look at earlier assumptions. Now the introduction of iron is securely placed in the first quarter of the 4th millennium BCE i.e., our antiquity of iron pushed back to 5300 years. We are glad to place recent evidences obtained through sustained efforts of the archaeologists to the general public to measure and appreciate the cultural heritage of this great nation.
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