An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c45.459

v2.c45.459

**Sawyerpuram** (8°40'; 78°), Dt Tirunelveli, in the s.-e. part of the Dt noted by Foote (Foote, 1914 and 1916) as having the remains of a Microlithic culture [4.5]. Foote also collected a wind-polished handmade potsherd, which he thought was of Neolithic [4.6.10] association. It is one of the largest of the *teris* [9.5], with three microlithic sites: Kuttamputtur and Sawyerpuram on the s. and Kuttalangulam on the w. The implements, heavily stained with red hydrated ferric oxide, seemingly came from within the weathered sand of the original soil sections and are therefore likely to be older than the *teri* accumulation, certainly older than the red weathering. The chert, fossil wood and limpid quartz tools found by Foote were recorded as embedded in the red locus; this has been corroborated by later studies by Zeuner (Zeuner and Allchin, 1956). The most important result of his investigations is that it has been possible to compare and correlate the horizon of the fossil dunes in relation to the lagoon formed near them with the European Mediterranean climatic chronology and establish a link with one of three periods—late Monastirian, Epimonastirian or post-glacial. The third is the most likely and is eustatically related to the late Atlantic, approximately 4000 B.C. On this basis the sea level has fallen now by as much as 6 to 9 m from the level at the time of the Microlithic culture. Topographically however an even higher sea level at 15 m above the present mean sea level might have been a land-surface sustaining activity. All the *teri* sites are located on a raised sea level of at least 6 to 9 m height or more.