Museum will be set up for Keeladi artifacts: TN minister

Tamil Nadu minister K Pandiarajan on Monday said the government had proposed to set up a world-class museum with the artifacts unearthed during an excavation at Keeladi in Sivaganga district.

The culture and archaeology minister said excavation would start again in the village on January 15.

The minister, who visited the temporary exhibition for Keeladi artifacts at the Tamil Sangam building in Madurai, said the world-class museum would come up at a cost of Rs 12.21 crore.

Excavations would also recommence in Adichanallur in Thoothukudi district, Sivagalai in Tuticorin and Kodumanal in Erode district, he said.

The present temporary museum would be upgraded and security would be tightened. Steps are being taken to bring 10,000 antique items and other artifacts, now in the ASI museum, to Tamil Nadu, Pandiarajan said.

More than 6,000 artifacts would be exhibited in the new museum. The government is in the process of compiling a report on the artifacts unearthed at Keeladi, the minister added.