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Keeladi excavation site is a Sangam period settlement that is being excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department. This excavation site is located 12 km southeast of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, near the town of Keeladi (also spelt as Keezhadi) in Sivagangai district. This is a large-scale excavation carried out in Tamil Nadu after the Adichanallur archaeological site. The settlement lies on the bank of the Vaigai River and it reflects the ancient culture of Tamil people. Epigraphist V. Vedachalam, who served as a domain expert for the excavation, dated the excavated remains between 5th century BCE and 3rd century CE.
The site Keeladi with the cultural deposit mound extending over a vast area of more than 110 acres, amidst the coconut grooves is located at Thirupuvanam Taluk in Sivagangai District. Previously excavation was conducted by Excavation Branch at Bangalore, Archaeological Survey of India at the site during 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017. In continuation of exposing the hidden treasures and antique of this site, the State Department of Archaeology has been conducting excavation at this site after getting approval from the CABA. The excavation for the season 2017-18 was carried out during April – September, 2018 at a cost of Rs. 55 lakh
Excavation work, during this season had yielded 5820 antiquities with enough cultural traits in the form of structural activity (brick structures, terracotta ring wells, fallen roofing tiles with double holes and deeply finger pressed grooves to draw rain water).

Antiquities like few pieces of golden ornaments, broken portions, copper objects, iron implements, terracotta gamesmen (chessman), hop scotches, ear ornaments, spindle whorls, figurines and portions besides beads of terracotta, glass, semi-precious stones (agate, carnelian, crystal, etc.).

Popular ceramic types like finer variety of Black and Red ware, Black ware, Black Polished ware, Red ware, Rouletted ware, few pieces of Arretines were also found. There are also enough numbers of graffiti sherds of both pre and post firing nature. A good number of Tamil Brahmi sherds also have been unearthed.

All these finds clearly indicate the cultural richness of the ancient civilization of the Tamils of this region having its close proximity to the temple city Madurai. Hence it becomes essential to continue to probe such cultural hidden treasures of Keeladi site in future and reveal the cultural wealth of the ancient Tamil society.