A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. S. Sundar observed that this proved Adichanallur was one of the earliest ancient sites in Tamil Nadu.

“In spite of many efforts taken by intellectuals, historians, political leaders and archaeologists, nothing was done by the ASI, for reasons best known to them, to send the Adichanallur samples for carbon dating,” the court said.

The court had earlier directed the ASI to fence the whole site that is spread across 114 acres and put up a police outpost to prevent any damage.

The team started excavating in one side of a mound and discovered many earthen pots that were of superior quality than the ones being sold at the bazaars of the late 19th Century.

Alexander Rea himself had done a detailed investigation of the sites during the period between 1899 and 1905, when he was able to find a large number of artifacts similar to Dr.