During the 10th phase of excavations at the archaeological site of Kiladi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, researchers uncovered a terracotta pipeline. This discovery indicates the existence of an ancient water management practice that dates back to the 6th century BCE.
What the Archaeologists Found
The ancient city of Kiladi in southern India serves as a reminder that our ancestors utilized some ingenious devices long before modern plumbing was invented.
Located 11 kilometers southeast of Madurai, the Kiladi archaeological site has captured the attention of the scientific community since it was discovered in 2014 by K. Amarnath Ramakrishna, a researcher from the Archaeological Survey of India. Over the past decade, more than 20,000 artifacts have been unearthed here, each a piece of the story of a sophisticated society that once thrived along the banks of the Vaigai River, as reported by Arkeonews.
Scientists refer to the Kiladi site as an “archaeological gold mine.” In addition to the terracotta pipeline, previous findings include an open drain, a closed channel, and several small reservoirs. All these discoveries point to a well-planned water management system. Among these, the cylindrical pipeline is considered the most remarkable find. It stands as evidence that 2,600 years ago, the residents of Kiladi were not merely scooping water from the river with pots; they possessed a true engineering marvel.
According to representatives from the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, the recently discovered pipeline consists of six cylindrical structures, each measuring 36 cm in length and 18 cm in width. Carefully fitted together, these structures form a single construction that stretches 174 cm long.
“The pipeline has now been fully excavated. It extends to a neighboring trench and could have been used for the secure transportation of water,” the department stated.
Analysis of various artifacts from this archaeological site has shown that Tamil society thrived in a developed industrial settlement during the 7th to 6th centuries BCE. Furthermore, artifacts found in Kiladi indicate that the Tamils were familiar with iron processing technology as early as 2172 BCE, roughly 4,200 years ago.