Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is an ultra-sensitive scientific technique used to measure long-lived isotopes such as Carbon-14. It allows researchers to determine the age of organic materials — including charcoal, bones, and seeds — with remarkable accuracy, often up to 50,000 years.
AMS helps archaeologists to:
• Determine the absolute age of artefacts.
• Establish cultural and historical timelines.
• Validate human settlement periods and major historical events.
The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) sent 23 charcoal samples from seven archaeological sites to a U.S. laboratory for AMS testing. These include:
• Keeladi (Sivaganga) – 10th phase
• Chennanoor (Krishnagiri) – 1st phase
• Tirumalaipuram, Marungur, Porpanaikkottai, Konganagaram, Thulukkarpatti and others
• Keeladi (Tamil Nadu): AMS dated artefacts to around the 6th century BCE, confirming early urban life in South India.
• Rakhigarhi (Haryana): AMS confirmed it as a Harappan site from approximately 2600–1900 BCE.
• Bhirrana (Haryana): Dating extended the Harappan civilisation’s origins to around 7500 BCE.
• Chirand (Bihar): AMS helped link Neolithic habitation phases with the later Iron Age.
• Keeladi: Over 500 antiquities, 100 inscribed potsherds, and red-slipped ware with fish motifs.
• Porpanaikkottai: 1,792 artefacts including pottery, glass beads, and bangles.
• Tirumalaipuram: Megalithic burial site with a unique stone-slab chamber.
India currently lacks sufficient dedicated AMS laboratories for archaeological purposes. Hence, institutions like BETA Analytic (U.S.) provide quick and reliable analysis of delicate organic samples. However, efforts are underway to establish advanced AMS facilities within India to promote self-reliant archaeological research.
• Refines early urbanisation timelines.
• Bridges historical gaps in cultural evolution.
• Adds scientific credibility to regional heritage studies.
• Strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeology, geology, and climate science.
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