Tamil Nadu has sought permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for carrying out excavations in four new places this year.
The four sites would be: Marungur in Cuddalore; Kongalnagaram in Tiruppur; Thirumalapuram in Tenkasi; and Chennanur in Krishnagiri districts.
One of the significant findings last year was the discovery of 2,030 graffiti marks, including four with Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions, from Thulukarpatti in Tirunelveli district.