Archaeological excavators looking for remains of Muziris, an
ancient port city of Pattanam in Kerala, found 18 wooden pegs
that might throw light on the life and times of people who lived
there several centuries ago. The sharpened wooden pegs, ranging
from 15 cm to 20 cm in length, were found at a depth of four
metres, said P.J. Cherian, head of the Pattanam excavations that
are conducted by the Kerala Council for Historical Research
(KCHR). “This was a surprise find as the excavation has almost
reached the natural layer, that is where no human interventions
are identifiable,” he said. To determine the age of the pegs,
the samples will be sent to science laboratories, including to
that of Oxford University, for radiocarbon dating. On Friday,
Kerala Forest Research Institute scientists examined the wood
samples and botanical sediments. Mr. Cherian said two excavation
trenches produced evidence of formation of peat, a spongy layer
of botanical remains deposited over a long period time. The peat
formation could