Construction Materials during the Sangam Period

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS DURING THE SANGAM PERIOD

During the Sangam period, about 6000 years ago, flint, wood, suthai, bamboo, straw, grass used in construction. There are still traces of houses, royal places, commercial establishments and public places built like that. About 6000 years later, black stones were used in construction and buildings.

1. Major Building Materials

1. Tree

Wood was an excellent early construction material. For thousands of years, wooden building materials have been used. Timber framed buildings have long-lasting stability. There are three types of trees.

1. Male tree

2. Female tree

3. Eunuch tree

(i) Male Tree

Male trees should be selected to make door posts, pillars, balcony, etc., in the house.

(ii) Female Tree

For uthiram, vittam, arch, porch and bearing beam female trees are suitable.

(iii) Eunuch Tree

Eunuch trees are used for small vittam, frame, handrails, fence.

2. Hot Sand

Hot sand is the solid building material made from clay that is dried and heated in a kiln-like structure.

3. Suthai

It is made of lime. Wooden sticks and lime, were used for this. Suthai has been in practice for centuries. Later, cement was used instead of lime. Iron bars were used in place of wooden sticks.

4. Bamboo

Bamboo constructions are a strong and lightweight building material. Bamboos were used as a whole or in the broken form.

5. Straw

Straw is one of the oldest building materials. It is very strong. Straw walls are strong enough to withstand heavy loads.

6. Brick

The term brick refers to a unit made of clay. Heated bricks are one of the most durable and strong building materials. Brick is used to make walls and other elements in construction. Brick is an ancient building material. A brick is made of clay-bearing soil, sand and limestone.

2. Analysis of Kizhadi Excavation

Analysis of the samples of bricks, lime mortar, roof tiles and limestone casing well lining found at Kizhadi at the Vellore University of Technology confirmed the presence of minerals such as silica clay, lime, iron, aluminium and magnesium in each of them. Their combinations are as follows.

(i) Bricks and roof tiles: > 80% Silica

(ii) As Binding Factor: > 7% lime

(iii) Lime Mortar: > 97% lime

A closer look at the above composition reveals that the people of that time had used very high quality construction materials. And the presence of 97% limestone is a proof that Sangam buildings have survived till date because they are very strong.