(a) whether a vast urn burial site was discovered at Mandapam village
near Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu;
(b) If so, the details thereof alongwith the artifacts discovered
therefrom;
(c) whether any conclusion has been made from the study of the
archaeological remains of the said site;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to
protect and preserve the said site for its archaeological importance/
value?
MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF CULTURE
(KUMARI SELJA)
(a) & (b) Mandapam is the name of a bus stop in the revenue jurisdiction
of village Arpakkam. The presence of urn burials in village Arpakkam in
Kanchipuram District is well known to archaeologists.
ASI has granted a license for excavation of Arpakkam, District Kanchipuram,
Tamil Nadu for the field season 2010-11 and 2011-12.
The urn burial site has not so far been excavated.
(c) & (d) The excavator from Department of Ancient History and Archaeology,
University of Madras has not published any excavation report.
(e) This has not been declared a site as of National Importance under
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.