Two Chola-era bronze idols of Nataraja and Sivakami have been recovered during an ongoing excavation by the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department in Nagapattinam, offering new material evidence of the region’s religious, metallurgical and maritime history.
The idols were found along with their respective supporting pedestals at a depth of about one metre, Tamil Development Minister A Rajmohan said. The excavation began on August 3 and is being conducted under the aegis of the state government’s Department of Archaeology.
The Nataraja idol, shown in the Ananda Tandava or cosmic dance of bliss posture, measures 110 cm in height and 100 cm in width. The four-armed deity is depicted standing, while the Sivakami idol measures 82 cm in height and 23 cm in width. The two-armed goddess is represented in the traditional Tribhanga, or triple-bend, posture.
According to an official cited in the report, initial assessments of the idols’ physical features, iconographic attributes, ornamental etchings and pedestal styles indicate that they may date to the 12th century AD, during the late Chola period. The assessment remains an initial estimate based on the objects’ characteristics.
The recovery is significant for the archaeological record of Nagapattinam, a region associated with Chola-era religious activity and maritime connections. The official said the artefacts could provide evidence of religious practices, metallurgical engineering and metal sculpture traditions that developed in the area during the period.
The discovery also highlights the role of state-led excavation in documenting heritage that may remain below the present ground surface. Finding the idols with their pedestals provides additional information for researchers studying their original form and artistic treatment, although the supplied report does not specify the exact excavation location, the site’s wider architectural remains or the planned conservation process.
Rajmohan said the excavation had been uncovering evidence of the antiquity and historical significance of Tamil society. The archaeological department’s work is continuing in Nagapattinam, with further findings expected to be assessed as the excavation progresses.
