Ring well unearthed at India’s Keeladi archaeological site

A ring well has been unearthed nearly 45 days after the fifth phase of excavation commenced at the Keeladi archaeological site in southern India.

The well was found in one of the quadrants in a trench that they were digging,
at a depth of about 1.5 metres [Credit: The Hindu]

The rings, measuring 1.5 feet in diameter, are made of terracotta, and five rings are visible now. “So far, we have dug to a depth of 1.5 metres. We can say if the well goes deeper only on further excavation.

In the fourth phase, two such wells were excavated. The ring well is an indicator of the advanced water conservation technology of that period,” an official from the State Department of Archaeology said.

“The rings are designed with a locking system, so that they sit atop each other without any gap for the sand to pour in. Since Keezhadi is close to the Vaigai riverbed, the terrain is sandy in nature. So, in order to avoid the well getting closed by sand spillage, the top ring of the well has a raised edge. These features testify to the water management skills of the people who lived in Keezhadi,” the official noted.

So far, over 24 pits have been dug across five acres of area in the fifth phase. This is the second phase of excavation being carried out by the State Archaeological Department, as the previous three phases were carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Keeladi site dates back to the second century BC

Author: A. Shrikumar | Source: The Hindu [August 02, 2019]