8 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A first-of-its-kind Ayyanar stone idol found in Vellore, India

An Ayyanar stone idol, the first of its kind in Vellore, was discovered at Thandalai Krishnapuram (TK Puram) in Tamil Nadu, India.

A few days ago, a group of residents found a rare Ayyanar stone idol while clearing bushes in an open field to make a road in the neighborhood.

Residents reported the idol to local heritage enthusiast C. Tamilvanan, the residents were not sure whether the idol belonged to the neighborhood or was abandoned in the village.

According to numismatist, philatelist, and history buff C Tamilvanan, “the sculpture is the first of its kind to be discovered in Vellore. A person from the village who was clearing land to create a pathway using a JCB stumbled on it and as he follows me on Facebook, he informed me of the find,” said.

When Tamilvanan arrived at the spot expecting to see a hero stone, he saw a sculpture of Ayyanar, the guardian god commonly found at the entrance to settlements in rural regions.

C. Tamilvanan, who examined the idol in the village, believes it dates back to the Pallava dynasty in the seventh century. However, revenue authorities stated that determining its origins would need a thorough investigation by archaeologists and local museum experts.

In the sculpture, the Ayyanar is seated on a stone throne in a special posture described in the agamas as ‘Maharaja Leelasana’. He holds a weapon called ‘senndu’ in his right hand. In the lower part of the sculpture, a dog and a boar can also be seen.

Ayyanar statue found at Thandalai Krishnapuram in Vellore.

Archaeologists think that Ayyanar worship had been documented from the Sangam age to the medieval period by merchants’ guilds for their prosperity and safety along with ancient trade routes.

“To the best of my knowledge this is the first time that an Ayyanar statue has been discovered in the Vellore region,” Tamilvanan told DT Next.

Tamilvanan added, “the statue belongs to the late Pallava period of the 8th Century AD. Ayyanar statues and temples can be found outside villages in rural TN. Ayyanar might have originated from a former warrior or commander and over time had evolved into a guardian deity with some even worshipping him as their family deity.

Seeing the true contours of the statue, which took an hour and a half to clean, the villagers began to make poojas and said they would build a temple for it.

However, Officials said that under the Indian Treasure Trove Act 1878, anything found below one feet depth belongs to the government.

As per norms, such treasure should be handed over to the district treasury with the Collector being the sole guardian of the find. In this case, a report from the Government Museum (Vellore) would be sent to the Director of Museums (Chennai) and to the Vellore Collector on the treasure.

Related Articles

Vindolanda marks the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian’s Wall with an altar discovery

9 February 2022

9 February 2022

The excavation season hasn’t started yet, but the Vindolanda Roman fort has kicked off Hadrian’s Wall’s 1900th anniversary year with...

Obsidian Research in Alberta Uncovers Evidence of Extensive Long-Distance Trade Among Indigenous Peoples Before European Contact

31 March 2025

31 March 2025

Recent research into obsidian artifacts in Alberta, a province located in western Canada, has unveiled significant evidence of long-distance trade...

No Ancient Super-Highway: The Reality of Europe’s Erdstall and the Scotland-Türkiye Tunnel

28 April 2025

28 April 2025

The internet continues to buzz with the captivating notion of an immense, prehistoric tunnel network stretching from the Scottish Highlands,...

2000-year-old passage found after Latrina at Smyrna Theater

28 January 2022

28 January 2022

Archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old passage that was 26 meters long and constructed in an “L” form in the theater part...

An Egyptian Tomb Decorated with Magic Snake Spells Discovered

9 November 2023

9 November 2023

During excavations at Abusir, between Giza and Saqqara, archaeologists at the Czech Institute of Egyptology (CIE) found an ancient tomb...

Unique Gold Ring and Crystal Amulet among 30,000 Medieval Treasures Uncovered in Sweden

7 March 2024

7 March 2024

In the Swedish medieval city of Kalmar, archaeologists from the State Historical Museums unearthed the remains of over 30,000 objects...

Scientists Ancient Landscape Not Seen For 14 Million Years Discovered Beneath Antarctic Ice

26 October 2023

26 October 2023

Researchers have uncovered an ancient landscape that remained hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) for at least 14...

Hundreds of silver coins have been found near the castle of Lukov in Moravia

4 September 2021

4 September 2021

In the forest near the Southern Moravian Fortress Lukov, two members of the Society of Friends of the Lukov Fortress...

7,000-Year-Old Canoes Reveal Early Development of Nautical Technology in Mediterranean

21 March 2024

21 March 2024

The discovery of five “technologically sophisticated” canoes in Italy has revealed that  Neolithic people were navigating the Mediterranean more than...

Paleonursery offers a detailed glimpse at life 518 million years ago

6 July 2021

6 July 2021

Fossilized specimens of thousands of undersea animals buried under a sedimentary avalanche 518 million years ago have been found near...

Recent excavations at Girsu uncovered innovative civilization-saving technology of Ancient Sumerians

19 November 2023

19 November 2023

In ancient city Girsu, located near the modern city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, revealed through a recent excavation by...

Archaeologists may have uncovered a 13th-century castle in Shropshire

7 August 2021

7 August 2021

Archaeologists have been working on a mound of land in Wem, Shropshire, that belongs to Soulton Hall, Elizabethan mansion and...

Young Metal Detectorist Discovers Huge Viking Treasure Hoard in Denmark

23 April 2023

23 April 2023

A group of hobby metal detectorists has discovered two Viking treasures buried a few meters apart near the ruins of...

Unexpected finds under the Tel Aviv Suburban

21 August 2021

21 August 2021

In preparation for a planned residential building project in suburban Tel Aviv, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have begun...

Explore 1,400-year-old ruins, submerged in Eastern China – Atlantis of China

10 June 2023

10 June 2023

Deep in Qiandao Lake, between China’s Five Lion Mountains, lie the mysterious ruins of two ancient cities, dating back to...