New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) The report on Keezhadi excavation in Tamil Nadu for the first two seasons was "vetted" by experts, and "deficiencies" in methodology, chronology, interpretation, presentation, and analytical rigour were communicated to the lead excavator, the government told Lok Sabha on Monday.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said this in a written response to a queries related to the Keezhadi excavation by MPs Kanimozhi and S Venkatesan.
He was asked the reasons for the "delay" in publishing the excavation report of the Keezhadi archaeological site in Tamil Nadu, despite completion of multiple excavation phases.
The minister was also asked whether the government has received and accepted the draft excavation report prepared and submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in January 2023.
"The excavation report for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons was received by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in January 2023 and has since undergone expert vetting in accordance with standard protocol. This process is essential to ensuring academic integrity and is not intended to delay or diminish the significance of the findings," he said.
"The excavation report for first two seasons has been vetted by experts and deficiencies in methodology, chronology, interpretation, presentation, and analytical rigor, etc. have been communicated to the lead excavator," the minister said.
Shekhawat said considering the archaeological potential of the site it was taken for excavation up by ASI between 2014 and 2017. Since 2018, the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology has continued excavations at the site. However, the final report from the State Department has not yet been published, he added.