THE HISTORY :

The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology was established in 1959 with Professor T.V.Mahalingam, a renowned Historian, and a galaxy of Faculty members to promote Archaeological research and to impart field-archaeological training to Post graduate students. It offers M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. programmes. It has the singular credit of excavating Early historical sites like Tirukkampuliyur, Alagarai, Kanchipuram, Appukkallu, Kallerimalai, Mallppadi, Adiyamankottai, Guttur, Arikamedu, Kudikadu, Tiruvamattur, Tiruvakkarai, Tiruverkadu, Palur and Melchittamur, and exploring more than one hundred sites in Tamilnadu. Besides, collaborative research works have been undertaken with Pennysilvania University, U.S.A., Tokyo University, Japan and Perredenya University, Sri Lanka. The Department specializes in Early Historical Archaeology, Epigraphy, South Indian Art and Iconography and Tourism.

INFRASTRUCTURE :

Major Laboratories:

Museum
The Archaeological Musuem attached to the Department is recognized by the National Musuem, New Delhi. Artefacts unearthed from various sites, models of sculptures and coins and miniature bronze icons are displayed in the Museum. (FOR MUSEUM PICTURES VIDE FILE ‘MUSEUM’ IN THE C.D.)

Equipment :

(1) Computers - 2
(2) Laser printer – 2
(3) Scanner – 1
(4) Cameras – 2
(5) Digital Camera – 1
(6) Movie Camera – 1
(7) Over Head Projector – 1
(8) Show Cases – 12
(9) Slide Projector

COURSES OFFERED :

M.A., M.Phil. & Ph.D. Programmes

ENDOWMENTS :

(a) Prof. K.A.Nilkanta Sastri Commemoration Endowment Lectures
(b) Prof. T.Balakrishnan Nayar Memorial Endowment Lectures
(c) Prof. K.V.Raman Endowment Lectures
(d) Sir .S.Subramaniya Aiyar Endowment Lectures
(e) Sankara Parvati Endowment Seminar

PARTNERSHIP / COLLOBRATION :

(a) Pennysilvania University, U.S.A. Colloborative Excavations at Arikamedu, Pondicherry, 1990–95
(b) Tokyo University, Japan, Joint Research Project, 2001
(c) Perredenya University, Sri Lanka, Joint Research Project, 2002
(d) Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamilnadu - Joint work - International Symbosium on Indus Civilization and Tamil Language, Feb. 2007.

LIBRARY :

2199 Books

FACULTIES :

Dr. P.D. Balaji, Ph.D
Lecturer (S.S) and Head i/c.,
Telephone: 2539 9607
Email: bhalaje@yahoo.co.in

Dr. J. Soundararajan, Ph.D (On lien)
Lecturer
Telephone: 2539 9608
Email: jsoundararajan@gmail.com