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UNIT 18 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES - I

(EARLY HARAPPA AND
HARAPPA)

Structure
Objectives
Introduction
What is an Archaeological Site
Discovery and Naming of the Harappan Civilization
Geographical Spread
The Period of the IIarappan Civilization
The Early Harappan Settlements
18.6.1 Origins
18.6.2 GhaggarIHakra - lndus Axis
18.6.3 Punjab, Rajasthan and Havana
Mature Harappan Sites
18.7.1 Shortughai
18.7.2 Sutkagendor
18.7.3 Mohenjodaro
18.7.4 Harappa
18.7.5 Kalibangaa
18.7.6 Banawali
18.7.7 Lothal
Some Common Features
Let Us Sum Up
Keywords
Answers to Check your Progress Exercises

18.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this Unit, you should be able to learn:

how the Harappan Civilization was discovered and why it was named 'so,
what an archaeological site is,
where the Early Harappan and Harappan sites are located,
about the characteristicfeatures of the Harappan civilization, and
how this civilization was connected with other contemporary civilizations in the world.

18.1 INTRODUCTION
You may have heard the names of Mohenjodaro and Harappa in your middle-class history
books. What do these signify to you? Scholars tell us that they were the cities existing
four-and-a-half thousand years ago and were parts of a forgotten civilization. Although they
were the most important, these cities were not the only ones existing during those times within
the boundaries of what is called the Harappan civilisation. There were a large number of
other urban settlements about which you will learn in the course of this Unit. At its peak, this
civilization covered a very wide area measuring around 1.8 million square kilometres. Its
mature phase lasted for about 800 years and it maintained trade contacts with far-flungareas
such as Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq) and Egypt. This Unit discusses the various aspects of
Harappan Civilization.
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Archaeology and Antiquity
18.2 WHAT IS AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
Archaeology, simply stated, is the study of human antiquities. An archaeologist is one who
You should see the videos is involved in such studies. An archaeological site is a place where the remains of an old
Unearthing the Past and civilization exist, sometimes visibly but mostly under the cover of the earth. It needs a lot of
Reconstruction of the careful digging and sifting which in archaeological terms is called "excavation". After
Past made in our history
course EHI-02 to know excavation the site reveals the existence of a human settlement with houses, streets, potteries,
more ahout excavation tools and other implements, sculpture, painting, writing etc. This ancient human settlement
and archaeological sites. discovered or unearthed during the modern times is called an archaeological site.

Knowledge about archaeology and archaeological sites adds to the expertise of those tourism
professinals who package tour or work as guides and escorts. There has been an increased
interest in cultural and heritage tourism. In some countries tour operators package
archaeological sites as tourism products and offer arhaeological tours as special interest
tours.

18.3 DISCOVERY AND NAMING OF THE HARAPPAN

CIVILIZATION
Nothing definitive was known about this civilization until in 1921an archaeologist, Daya Ram
Sahni visited a village named Harappa in Western Punjab (now in Pakistan). It was believed
by the villagers and some earlier archaeologiststhat it was a one- thousnad year-old city which
was ruined because of the wickedness of the king. After excavation it was established that it
was a long-forgotten civilization almost five thousand years old and contemporary with the
ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Unlike in Mesopotamia and Egypt, the script in which the Harappan people wrote is still not
deciphered. So we do not know what those people called themselves and their civilization.
We also do not know the ancient names of the various Harappan cities discovered so far.
We are, therefore, forced to name them after the names of the modern places where these
sites are located. Since Harappa was the first site to be discovered, the entire epoch was
termed as the "Harappan Civilization" following a convention among the archaeologist to
name it after the first- discovered site.

18.4 GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD

As stated earlier, this civilization, at its peak, covered an area as wide as 1.8 million square
kilometres. Its northern border reached Shortughai in northern Afghanistan, while the
southern limits dipped down to Bhagatrar in Gujarat; Suktagendor in Baluchistan formed
the western border and the eastern zone spread out to Bargaon, Manpur and Alamgirpur in
U.P. But the main concentration of Harappan settlements are to be found along the Harappa
- Ghaggar - Mohenjodaro axis. Most of the Harappan sites are to be found in the present-day
Pakistan including the two most important sites - Harappa and Mohenjodaro.

This civilization also covered a wide variety of land and climate. While the settlements in
Baluchistan developed and survived in inhospitable dry climates and unapproachable hilly
terrains, the settlements in the Ganga-Yamuna doab enjoyed all the bounties of the nature.
Hundreds of kilometres of desert- land separated the Harappan settlements in Rajasthan
and Gujarat. The premier Harappan settlements in the Ghaggar - Hakra - Indus region,
however, were situated in the flood plains and the land was fertile making it possible for the
cities to procure food from the adjoining villages.

18.5 THE PERIOD OF THE HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION

So far as the timing of the Harappan civilization is concerned, there is no unanimity of opinion
among various archaeologists and scholars. In this Section, you will find the different'
viewpoints of some of the archaeologists.
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John Marshall placed Mohenjodaro, one of the most important sites, between 3250 and 2750
Archaeological Sites -I
(Ear,y Harappaand
B.C. Harappa)

Mackay, in 1938, thought that Mohenjodaro existed between 2800 and 2500 B.C

Martimer Wheeler, in 1947, put the age of Harappan civilization between 2500 and 1500 B.C.

In the early 1960s, D.P. Agrawal used the radio-carbon dating and chronologically situated
this civilization between 2300 and 1700B.C. After calibratingthese dates for possible errors,
some scholars have now put the dates of the rise and fall of the Harappan civilizationbetween
2700 B.C. and 1400 B.C respectively.

This shows that the Harappan civilization was spread widely both in terms of space as well
as time.

Main Sites of the Harappan Civilization

rCheck Your Progress-1

1) Why is this Civilization called Harappan?

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Archaeology and Antiquity .,

2) Write in about 50 words on the periodization of the Harappan Civilization.

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3) What is an archaeological site?

18.6 THE EARLY HARAPPAN SE'ITLEMENTS

The Early Harappan period was, to some extent, a distinct phase leading towards the mature
Harappan period. In this Section we will discuss the origins and various characteristics of
this period where there was progression towards cultural homogeneity.

18.6.1 Origins
There is an increasing homogeneity of opinion among the scholars that the Harappan
Civilization had indigenous roots. By this we mean to say that although trade and commerce
might have played some role, this civilization originated in the Indian sub-continent and
evolved out of a long process of development. The first phase of this process was the
transformation of the hunting-gathering tribes into settled agriculturists. The following sites
show how the Early Harappan phase originated and took shape.

Mehrgarh

The earliest evidence for this development comes from a place called Mehrgarh in
Baluchistan. In its earliest phase the people in Mehrgarh used stone tools but no potteries
are found. During the second phase, stone tools were refined and potteries were made.
During the third phase, there was greater use of pottery and copper tools were introduced.
The villages were getting larger, the houses bigger and agriculture more developed.

Similar settlements are reported from Mundigak in Afghanistan and Cholistan desert in the
Ghaggar-Hakra valley. It was from these settled agricultural communities that the early
phase of the Harappan civilization developed, which was marked by incipient urbanism.

Mundigak

One of the important early Harappan sites, Mundigak is situated in southern Afghanistan.
Located on the distance trade route the place seemed t s have passed through four phases
of development. Phase I was marked by incipient urbanism. The township was more firmly
established during phase 11. The houses were larger, well-constructed and many rooms had
hearth in the centre. During Phase 111, the use of both copper and bronze increased.
Terracotta figurines of humped bulls and women are also found.
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Archaeological Siles -
During Phasc I\;, Mundigak bccame a developed township with defcnsivc walls and square, (Karly Hnrappa and
bastions of sun-dried bricks. A palace and a temple are also found. Potteries were more Harappa)
rcfincd and decorated with a red slip and black paint showing birds, bulls and pipal trees.
All thcsc: dzvc.lopn~enlstook place duriag thc middle of the fourth and the beginning of'thc
third millcnniurn J3.i:.

5itu.ilcd i l l ~ h lQuetta
: vallcy 01 Haluci~ihtdnProvince, this place shows yarzlic.1 dtvelopmcnts
witncsscd at Mundlgak. During thc cnd oCthc fourrh and thc beginning of thc third millennia
B.C., the houses were getting increasingly larger and bricks were used for their construction.
Clay button-seals, copper daggcr- blades, bone tools and iarietirs of painted potteries have
hecn discovcrcd from this site.

18.6.2 GhaggarIHakra-Indus Axis

It wa5 in this region that th:: Harappan civili~stion developetl full blovm i'he Early
lidrappan s e t t l ~ m ~ nplayed
ts a major role in thesc futurc dcve'oprneots. Around 40 Early
Flarappan sitcs havc heen diwovered in this region, some of which are given below.

Amri

11 was thc first Early Harappan site discovered in 1929. It was located ncar the Indus river
on rhc fertile dlltlvial land. In vdrious phases Amri shows the development of Indus pottery
tr,iditlon from hard made, monochrome potteries to nicely painted, wheei-made potteries
t1ccr1rntt.dwith hunlpcd Indian bull% The use of cc)pljci and bronze also increased. The
houses also qhowed imprcvcmcnt and were made of stones and mudbricks in the later phase.
h a l l ~ranarieshavc also hecn t,>und in thcse hcnses. Thr later period also reveals the
cxistrucc of a walIed enclosure which might have been ustcl as a mrans of defence.

Kot Diji

'This was a very important Earlv Harappan site. It is located on the left bank of river Indus
opposiic Mnhenjodaro and about 1.60kilomctrcs to the north-casi of Arnri. Two features
of this sitc arc important in relation to the future developments. One is the existence of a
massive and solid defensive wall of mud resting on stone and supported wilh mud bricks
revetment at some place from outside. The second important feature is the diverse forms of
whccl-made potteries decorated with plain dark brown stripes. The paintings are of
fish-scales, pipal lcaves and sometimes horned deity. This hind of p0tte.y has been named
as th? Kot Dijian Pottery and was widely spread in the Indus area. It has also been ieported
frc)m t'ar-flung areas like Kalibaligan in Rajasthan and Mehrj?.rrrhin Baluchistan. The motifs
such as horned bull, scaled fish and pipal leaves, used in the Amri and Kot Diji potteries,
[lave bccn ft~uedextensively even during thc maturc Harappan period.

Situated in Ciomal valley, this Early Harappan sitc reveals the existence of Kot Dijian pottery
in its later stages. Semi- precious stoneleaves, bangles and tearacolta female figurines have
alco bcen reported from this site.

Rehman Dheri

Lt iq a large Early Harappan site (1700 ft. X 1500 ft. X 15ft.) It had a wailed enclosure 4 ft.
wide resting on 6 ft. wide foundation. It was constructed by packed mud, brick-shaped clay
slabs and dressed clay blocks. The houses were mud-built with fire-places and grain silos of
dilfei-rcni &
. a. Kot Diji-typ: pottzries with ieci paints a.ld fish-scale, pipal leaves and
pcdcock tigurcs werc made Pre~inubstones Itkc inAqmo;seacd lapis la7uli have also been
found. home scholars think that the graffiti found on the pots could he conside:ed as the
forerunners of the Harappan script.
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Situated in the Bannu area of north west frontier province the sites at Lewan and Tarakai
Qila reveal the existencc of mud- brick structures and a large number of stone tools. Tarkai
Qila also shows the evidence of fortification. Precious stoness like turquoise and lapis lazuli
are also found. Grains such as wheat, barley, lentil and field-pea have also been found.

18.6.3 Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana

Harappa

This site reveals the existence of a Early Harappan phase. Kot Diji-type of potteries have
been found. Lapis lazuli, steatite, carmelion and terracotta human figurines are reported
from these levels.

Apart from Harappa, Khadinwala is another Early Harappansitc discovered in western

Punjab.

Kalibangan

Situated in north Rajasthan on the now dried-up Ghaggar bank, Kalibangan shows evidences
of both the Early Harappan and Harappan cultures. During its Early Harappan period,
people lived in houses made of mud bricks of standard sizes. The township was Fortified with
a 3 - 4 metre-thick wall. Copper axes, terracotta bangles shell, carnelian etc. have been found.
Existence of Kot Dijian pottery is also reported. Evidences about the use of plough for
agricultural purposes are found.

B
Kalibangan: A) Early Harappan copper objects and B) Early Harappan trracota objects
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AIX~IICO~O~ and An(lqulty BanawBli

This Early Harappan site was located at the now dried-up course of Ghaggar and Saraswati
in the Hissar district of Haryana. Material objects found at the site comprise potteries,
terracotta bangles, terracotta animal figurines, shell etc. Potteries were marked by graftiti
and at one place a depiction of a covered cart with spoked wheels had been found. Houses
were made of mud bricks.

Kunal

This site k found at the dried-up course of the Ghaggar - Saraswati in the Hissar district of
Haryana. The houses were made of mud bricks of standard sizes. Unpainted black-and-red
ware, terracotta beads, lapis lazuli etc. are found.
Other Early Harappan sites in Haryana are Siswal, Balu, Sothi Bara etc. From these sites
also similar potteries as those found at Kalibangan are reported.

rCheck Your Progress-2

1) List the archaeologicalsites where the Early Harappan Civilization originated

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2) Write five lines on the Characteristic features of the potteries found in Amri and Kot
Diji.

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18.7 MATURE HARAPPAN SITES

Although the trade and outside influences seem to have played a part, the Harappan
Civilization developed mostly indigenously. This development was not confined to any
particular date but was a long process which may have taken centuries to give shape to the
cities which were the hallmarks of the mature Harappan Civilization.

Movements of population and settlements in the flood plains of the Ghaggar-Hakra valley
seemed to have heralded the process of this development. Growing technological
sophistication and the cultivation of fertile plains created more surplus and led to an increase
in population. The increasing surplus liberated a section of the population from farming
activities and turned them towards crafts. Specialisation in pottery-making,metallurgy etc.
were achieved during the Early Harappan period and these skills were communicated
through various channels to faraway places. That is why the Kot Dijian potteries are
discovered in the entire Indus area and even to places as distant as Kalibangan.
8 12
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I
Archaeological SLks -1
Tradc links with far-flung areas were established by the groups interested in acquiring (Early Harappa and
precious commmodities such as lapis lazuli, silver, gold etc. which were not locally available. Harappa)
Organised groups of priests also emerged who indulged in religious activities. The growth
of elite groups liketraders, priests and statesmen led towards increasing distinction among
the population leading ultimately to class-division. The need to communicate with distant
lands as well as for continuationof specialised knowledge may have led to the invention of
a writing script and hence the birth of civilization.

18.7.1 Shortughai
Situated in North Afghanistan, it represented the northernmost boundary of the Harappan
civilization. Both dry and wet farming was done in this region. Houses and other structures
were built with bricks of Harappan size (32 X 16 X 8 Cms). The discoverj, of precious stones,
ceramic designs and other objects put it firmly within the orbit of Harappan civilization.

18.7.2 Sutkagendor
Located near the Makran coast close to Pakistan-Iran border in Baluchistan, this Harappan :

town was surrounded by a defensive walled enclosure. Its position was that of a trading
post near sea-port.

18.7.3 Mohenjodaro
This was, according to some scholars, the most representative and the largest of all the cities
in Harappan Civilization. In modern times, it is located in the Larkana district of Sind
Province in Pakistan. In the beginning of the 20th Century this area was considered to be the
most fertile and one of the biggest grain marts in the entire region. During pre-historic times,
it was situated on the bank of river Indus which now flows three miles to the east of the site.

According to Jansen,a leading archaeologist, Mohenjodaro was built "according to a highly

sophisticated planning concept most probably based on cosmological principles". But we do
not know who these planners and architects were.
The city was divided into two parts: a citadel on the western side and the lower city on the
eastern one. The citadel was built on a massive man-made platform measuring 400 X 200
metres and was seven metres high. A six-metre thick brick wall was filled with sand and silt
in order to make this platform. The area surrounding the citadel was dug and filled with
water providing it further protection.

On this platform other smaller platforms were constructed for making structures of special
importance. The famous 'Great Bath' of Mohenjodaro is one of them. It measures 12 X 7
metres and is 3 metres deep. It was constructed very carefully with bricks covered with
gypsum mortar, a binding material, and a thin layer of bitumen, a water proofing compound
being applied to make it water tight. A wellin the adjoining roomis supposed to have supplied
it with water. Scholars believe that it was used for ritual bath.

On one side of the Great Bath is a long building (70.31 X 23.92 metres) which some scholars
believe to have been the residence of a very high official, possibly the high priest.

Another large structure on the citadel was the granary. It consisted of twenty seven
rectangular blocks measuring 45.72 metres from east to west and 22.36 metres from north to
south.
Assembly hall was another important structure. Squate built, it has twenty rectangular
brick-pillars arranged in four rows of five each.

In fact the entire structure of the citadel was so imposing that the highest building must have
been at a height of 20 metres above the ground level and could be seen from a long distance.

Another important feature of Mohenjodaro was the existence of a well developed drainage
system. The water from the houses passed through chutes into the covered drains on the
sides of the streets.
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Trinkeb made of beads ofcornelian shell, etc. found at Potteries found at Moheqjodaro
Mobenjadaro

18.7.4 Harappa
It was the second largest city of the Harappan civilization covering an area of 370 acres
compared to Mohenjodaro's 500 acres. Located on the bank of Ravi in Western Punjab (now
in Pakistan), it was the first site to be discovered. It, therefore, lends its name to the entire
civilization.

The city, like Mohenjodaro, was divided into citadel and the lower city. The citadel was a
raised structure surrounded by a brick wall. On the platform of the citadel other high rise
structures were erected.

An important structure identified as the "Great Granary" by the scholars is found below the
citadel and consists of two blocks each 150 X 56 ft. in size. Each of the blocks is made of six
halls divided by five corridors. The structure also suggests that water-transport was used for
carrying grains to the granary.

To the south of the granary

. there is a row of circular brick platforms for threshing grains.

Just below the citadel there are two rows of barrack - like structures possibly for
accommodating the poorer people or even slaves.

18.7.5 Kalibangan
Situated in Rajasthan, this site is on the south bank of the dried-up Ghaggar. It is a smaller
site compared to Mohenjodaro and Harappa and covers an area of one square kilometre.
It also consists of two separate mounds signifying the citadel and the lower city. The entire
city was fortified with a wall of mud bricks. The houses were also constructed with mud bricks
and not baked bricks as was the case in ~ o h e n j o d a r oand Harappa. The construction was
poorer in quality, although the planning was similar.

A significant aspect of this site is the discovery of fue-altars with remains of animals in its
ashes. These altars were made of burnt bricks and were situated on the top of five or six
differently sized mud brick platforms and could be approached by flight of steps.

The eastern sector represents the habitation of the lower order of people. The houses were
smaller in size and most of them had fue-altars. It seems that they served a major religious
purpose. The system of street drainage,so conspicuous in Mohenjodaro. is absent here, but
soakage jars were used occasionallyto collect the waste water from the wooden house drains.
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Archaeological Sites - I
Kalibangan is an extensively excavated Harappan site in India and a view of the fire-altars, (Early Harappa and
defensive walls and the citadel is of tourist interest. Harappa)

Kalibangan: Entrance of a house showing the corridor and flanking room.

Kalibangan: Howe drain discharging into a soakagejar in the street.

18.7.6 Banawali
This site is in the Hissar district of Haryana and is situated on the dried - up course of
Saraswati river. This city had an enclosure wall measuring 300 X 150 metres. Although it
was divided into the citadel and the lower city, the citadel was not placed on a raised platform.
It was, however, separated from the lower city by a 5 - 7 metre thick wall. This settlement
also does not seem to have a regular drainage system and, like Kalibangan, soakagejars were
used to collect the waste water.
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Archaeo1og)i and Antiquity 18.7.7 ~ ~ t ~ ~ l

This Harappan site is found m thc lich wheat and ~ o t t o ngrowing area of Gujarat. It could
have playcd the role of a sea-port for establishing trade contacts with the contemporary west
4 a a n c.imllzations l:kc Mesopotamia and Egypt.

This city, unlike Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Kalihangan and Banawali, was not divided into the
citadel and the lower city, although the entire city had a walled enclosurz. It had a r :,~tangular
design and burnt bricks were used more than at Kaiibangan, though mud bricks were also
e~nensiv~ly used. A dock vard - like structure has also been discove~edby the excavators.

Iall~al:Painted Pollcry

18.8 SOME COMMON FEATURES

The Harappans !ived in an age when long-distance communication took months, if not years.
The road-transport could only hr used for covering short distances and even that took a long
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Archaeological Sites - 1
time because the slow-moving bullock-carts were the only means of land transport. The (Farly Harappa and
water-transport was faster but even then it was not possible togovern the distant areas. Thus Harappa)
any idea of a centralized Harappan government has to be discounted completely.

The ideas, however, did travel and were manifested in various common features of
town-planning, pottery-production, tool designs and craftsmanship. It means that various
Harappan cities must have evolved at differrent times borrowing ideas but transformingthem
LOsuit the local conditions. Thus, we find that the division of the city into the citadel and the
lower city was found in Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan and Banawali besides other
settlements but the use of baked bricks and regular drainage system were not to be found in
Kalibangan and Banawali. On the other hand, while Lothal used the baked bricks, it does
not show evidences of internal division of the city into the citadel and the lower city. Similarly,
while the idea of fortification was a common one, Kalibangan, Lothal a d Banawali reveal
I he existence of a common city enclosure, whereas in Mohenjodaro and Harappa the
lortificalion was mainly around the citadel.

The potteries, tools and other products of craftsmanship show more evidences of a unified
coltural pattern, though again with regional variations. The red-and-black potteries showing
motifs of bulls, pipal leaves, fishes, horned deities and birds etc. have been found in almost
all the scttlements. The Harappan seals wearing the pictographic script, are also discoverred
at many places. Tools made of copper, bronze and stone show uniformity in design and
technique of production.

All these facts show that the Harappan civilization, though distributed over a wide area,
manifested certain common cultural traits.

Check Your Progress3

1) How is the town planning of Mohenjodaro arid Harappa different from that of
Kalibangan or Banawali?

2) How did the transition from Early Harappan to mature Harappan civilization take
place?

18.9 LET US SUM UP

The Harappan Civilization evolved out of a long process of development spread over
hundreds of years. In the beginning of this process, the nomadic tribes settled down to
agricultural life. Slowly, the agricultural communities formed villages which became larger
with the development of agriculture. The harnessing of flood water increased the agricultural
surplus thereby freeing a section of population from farming activities. The accumulation
of surplus and development of various skills and craftsmanship led towards differentiation in
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kchaeolog~ and Anuquify population and towards incipient urbanism. Slowly the local character of craftsmanship gave
way to a more homogeneous style, particularly in pottery-making. This style was called Kot
Dijian style and was found at most Early Harppan sites. This homogeneity was also witnessed
in the realm of religious ideology. Painted horned bull deities, terracotta mother goddesses
and representations of various other artistic motifs point towards this process. Internal and
long-distance trade flourished and trade and cultural contacts were established with faraway
regions. The mature Harappan civilization arose out of these developments, particularly in
the Indus region and grew out to spread its wings far and wide. In terms of territory, this
seems to be the largest civilization among its contemporaries.

18.10 KEY WORDS

Citadel : The fortress in the city

. Dry Farming : A system of tillage in which the surface soil is kept loose so as to
retain scanty rain and reduce evaporation.
Gramti : Decorative scribbling found on the earthen pots.

Granary : The store house for grain

Mound : Remains left by the people of the past which look like heaped-up
embankment.

Seal ' : A piece of wax or stone or some other material in which some
design is carved. It was used as a means of authentication.
Terracotta : A composition of clay and sand used for making statues. It is baked
in fire.
Wet Farming : Farming which is done with the help of artificial watering.

18.11 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES

E I I
Check Your Progress-l

1) See Section 18.3.

2) See
. .
Section 18.5.

3) See Section 18.2.

nCheck Your Progress-2

1) See sub-section 18.6.1.

2) See sub-section 18.6.2.

I Check Your Progress-3 I

1) See sub-section 18.7.3,18.7.4,18.7.5 and 18.7.6.

2) Your answer should include the generation of surplus, increase in population and the
diversion of a section of the population for farming activities towards other non-
agricultural activities. See section 18.7.
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UNIT 19 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES-I1
(POST HARAPPA)

Structure
Objectives
Introduction
The Importance of the Archaeology of the Gangetic Civilization
19.2.1 Gangetic Civilization and the Ganga Valley
19.2.2 The Archaeology of the Ganga Valley
19.2.3 A HistoIyof Settlements in the Ganga Valley
The Importance of Pottery
Pottery in the Ganga Valley
19.4.1 The Ochre Coloured PotteIy
19.4.2 The Painted Grey ware and the Black and Red Ware
19.4.3 The Northern Black Polished Ware
19.4.4 The North Indian Menu 3000 Years ago
Some of the Important Cities of North India in the 6th Century B.C.
Central India
South India
Let Us Sum Up
Keywords
Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

19.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this Unit you should be able to:

understand why the study of the archaeology of the Gangetic Civilization is important,
know how the settlements in the Ganga Valley were different from those in other parts
of India,
learn about the various kinds of potteries which distinguish the different phases of
settlements,
know about the crops which the farmers raised in these settlements, and
learn about some of the major cities which came up during the period under study.

19.1 INTRODUCTION
We have already explained the term archaeology in the preceding Unit. In the following
sections we shall be dealing with the archaeology of the period between the end of the
Harappan civilization and the beginning of the Vedic civilization in the Indian sub-continent.
This period can be roughly dated from around 1500 B.C. to 300 B.C. This period has been
called the formative phase of the classical Indian civilization. This is called the classical
Indian civilization because scholars have attributed the origins of many modern institutions
to the first flowering of civilization in the Ganga valley about 2500 years ago.

19.2 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF

THE GANGETIC CIVILIZATION
The study of the archaeological finds of the formative phase of the Indian civilization is
important because the historians have unduly emphasised the information found in the
'
literature of this period. This Vedic literature has been extensively used for recreating the
jI history of this period. This has led to a belief that the classical Indian civilization was the
exclusive creation of the Vedic Aryans. The study of archaeology will correct this error
because we shall be able to understand contributions made by people of different regions and
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Archaeolo~and Antiquity cultures in India in developing this civilization. The Aryans were confined to Punjab in the
early Vedic period. This period is roughly dated to 1500 B.C. to 1000 B.C. If we find
archaeological evidence for the presence of villages in other parts of the sub continent in the
same time bracket we can safely call them non-Aryan communities. Thus, the study of
archaeology will help us redress the imbalance in the understanding of the classical
civilization which is believed to be the handiwork of the Aryans by many.

19.2.1 Gangetic Civilization and the Ganga Valley

We nced to differentiate between the Gangetic civilization and the Ganga valley. The
Gangetic civilization refers to the civilization which emerged in the Ganga valley around the
s i i h century B.C. and spread to other parts of the Indian sub- continent. In the process of
expansion in to areas outside the Ganga valley the Gangetic civilization picked up several
elements from Central India and South India. So, what is called the Gangetic civilization is
an amalgam of developments in the entire sub-continent. The Ganga valley refers to the area
watered by the river Ganga and its tributaries like the Yamuna, Sarayu and Kosi. Ganga
descends from the Himalayas in the famous Hindu pilgrim centre of Haridwar and after a
long journey through the provinces of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal goes in to the Bay of
Bengal. In the course of its long journey it is joined by many tributary streams. The plains
formed by the alluvial soil of the Ganga river system is home to some of the densest clusters
of agriculturists in the world. In this valley are located famous cities like Delhi, Allahabad,
Banaras, Patna and Calcutta.

The Ganga valley has a very special place in the Indian tradition. It was in this area that the
imperial dynasties of the Mauryas and Guptas emerged. It was also in this area that the great
religious teachers like the Buddha and Mahavira delivered their message of non violence and
love. This happened after the sixth century B.C.

19.2.2 The Archaelogy of Ganga Valley

1
The Archaeology of the Ganga Valley is still in its infancy and corelation between its material
culture and linguistic and literary factors may be deferred for the moment. No part of India
has been changed as drastically as the Ganga valley by the encroachment of tillage on the
forest. To be able to visualise the situation about 3000 years ago we shall have to imagine the
dense forests in which the Pandavas roamed or the forests not very far away from Delhi where
the Mughals hunted rhinoceroses. This is by no means an easy task, because it requires
mapping out the history of settlements in the entire region. This has not been possible as yet
because of the lack of resources and commitment for the past. So any amateur can discover
an unknown settlement or a city in the wide expanse of the Ganga valley. There are thousands
of such settlements waiting to be discovered, explored and excavated.

19.2.3 A History of Settlements in the Ganga Valley

In the post Harappan period what were the settlers of the Gangavalley doing? The evidence,
though limited provides us some clues. Remains of many villages and towns have been found
in this area. Villages of agriculturists dating back to the second millennium B.C. have been
found in palaces like Mahagara and Koldihawa (near Allahabad on the banks of the Belan
river). What is interesting is that the inhabitants show a clear continuity from the preceding
hunting gathering mode of life. This very clearly indicates that these settlers were not Vedic
Aryans who are believed to have come to the upper Gangetic valley in the first millennium
B.C. Evidences for the presence of agriculturists have also been found in Purana Qila (Delhi),
Atranjikhera (Etah distlict, upper Ganga valley) and Chirand (district Saran, middle Ganga
valley).
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r
Archaeological Sites
(Post Harappa)
Check Your Progress-1

1) Write in 100 words the importance of the archaeology in the study of the Gangetic
Civilization.

2) Name three places in Ganga valley where archeologists have found evidence regarding
the presence of agriculturists.

.......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE IMPORTANCE OF POTTERY

Archaeologists seemingly devote a lot of time collecting pieces of broken pots long discarded
by its users. This dialogue with the broken sherds of the past has mystified many people. Let
us try to understand why archaeologists are obsessed with pots. In ancient societies metal
was in short supply. So, most of the people used utensils made of clay. It was convenient,
cheap andvirtually non-repairable when broken. So people discarded them. The shapes and
sizes, the technique of manufacture and the designs'on the pots kept changing. When
historians discover them in old settlements they study the designs and shapes of pots. It gives
them an idea of the food habits and the changes in the design. This helps them arrive at the
relative dating of the period of the use of pottery. This in turn gives them a clue to the period
of the settlement. Pottery is also the most visible sign of the presence of old settlement in an
area. After the rains mud is washed and sherds of pots are visible on the surface. Any amateur
can look for them while passing through some old town or village.

POTTERY IN THE GANGA VALLEY

The settlements in the Ganga valley have primarily been dated on the basis of the kind of
pottery found. The pottery could be dated on the basis of thermoluminiscent dating. Also
their location in well-stratified contexts helped archaeologistsarrive at relative dating for the
pottery and the settlement. This means that when a pottery is found at the lowest level of
occupation it is believed to have been used by the earliest settlers. That is why it is primarily
on the basis of the finds of distinct kinds of potteries that archaeologists have dated the
settlements in the Ganga valley. These potteries used as time markers are as follows.

19.4.1 The Ochre Coloured Pottery

The Ochre Coloured Pottery has been found at the earliest level of settlement in upper
Gangetic valley. This pottery is made of medium grained clay, underfired and has a orange
- red colour. The Orchre Coloured Pottery has been found at places like Hastinapur (in the
Meerut district Uttar Pradesh). At Hastinapur, the legendary capitalof the Kurus, the Ochre
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Archaeology and Antiquity Coloured Pottery is associated with the earliest evidence for habitation. It has been dated to
1800 B.C. This pottery has been reported from several other sites like Bahadurabad eight
miles west of Haridwar on the upper Ganges and at Saipai in the Etawah district.
The people using the Ochre Coloured Pottery did not know the use of iron. Some of these
settlements also yielded hoards of copper tools. The copper tools found in the hoards are
axes, chisels, rings, harpoons, spearheads and strange anthropomorphic objects. Axes upto
a foot in length were excellent woodmen's tools. The barbed harpoons proclaim extensive
food gathering near the fishful rivers near which they have been found. The rings were
probably used as ornaments. The evidence from the Ochre Coloured Pottery levels found in
several sites indicates that the settlements were occupied for short durations. People lived
in mud houses. They survived by a combination of farming and hunting. They cultivated rice,
barley, gram and Khesari (a pulse).

Most of the scholars believe that the people who used the Ochre Coloured Pottery were not
Aryans.

19.4.2 The Painted Grey Ware and the Black and Red Ware
The Painted Grey Ware (called the P.G.W. in abbreviation) refers to a pottery grey to ash
grey in colour. It is painted in black and sometimes in a deep chocolate colour. It is found
in many shapes and sizesbut the most common types are bowls and dishes. This pottery came
in use at time when the Ochre Coloured Pottery had already gone out of use. The P.G.W.
has been provisionally dated between the 10th - 7th centuries B.C. Some of the well known
settlements belonging to this period are Hastinapur (Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh),
Purana Qila (Delhi), Ropar (Punjab), Bhagwanpur (Haryana) and Mathura. The Black and
Red Ware (called the B.R.W. in short) pottery refers to a pottery black in colour inside and
on the rim. The rest of its body was red in colour. It has been found in association with the
P.G.W. in the Upper Ganga Valley. In the sites of the middle and lower Ganga Valley this
pottery was more popular.
Many of the people using the P.G.W. and the B.R.W. were the first settlers of those sites.
This proves that they succeeded in creating village settlements in many new areas. They lived
in small villages. The houses were made of wattle and daub. Thisis indicated by the finds of
mud platforms and mud plaster pieces with reed and bamboo impressions. One reason why
they were able to settle agricultural villages was possibly the use of iron. Iron spearheads,
sickle and hoe have been reported from excavations. However, most of the tools continued
to be made of copper and bone.

19.43 The Northern Black Polished Ware

The Northern Black Polished Ware (called N.B.P.W. in short) refers to a pottery with glossy
surface. The core of the pottery is extremely thin. In addition to black colour it is also found
golden, silver, white, pinkish, steel blue, chocolate and brown colours. The discovery of some
pots made by joining broken pieces indicates that it was an expensive pottery. This use of
this pottery has been dated to the period between the sixth century B.C. to the early centuries
of the Christian era.

The pottery of the earlier period was confined to some well defined geographical region. The
N.B.P.W. was the first pan Indian pottery. It has been discovered in more than 1500 sites.
The find spots include Taxila in Pakistan, Tamluk in Bengal and Amravati in the Andhra
Pradesh. In the later phases of its use it was associated with the use of coins, houses of burnt
brick and fortified settlements. It is called the pottery of the rich people.

With regard to the growing of new crops subsistence base no significant changes took place.
Only urad was added to the list of cultivated crops. These people used iron on a larger scale.
In fact if we compare their range of tools with that of the modern day farmers there does not
seem to be much difference between the two. The nature of agricultural implements did not
change much until the beginning of the 20th century. The presence of coinage and the use
of many kinds of semi precious stones like lapis lazuli brought from as far as Badakshan in
Afghanistan indicates long distance trade.
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Archaeological Sites - 11
- (Post Harappa)
19.4.4 The North Indian Menu 3000 Years ago.
What is significant from our point of view is that already in the beginning of the 1st millennium
B.C. today's principal crops were grown. Remains of rice, barley, wheat, gram, sesame and
cotton were found in various sites. We may infer crop rotation with wheat and barley
dominating the winter harvest and rice the rainy season as today. The presence of cattle,
sheep, goat, dog, horse and pig likewise indicate that only few additions were made in the
menu in subsequent periods; In fact the evidence of the bones of deer, turtle, fish, leopard,
fowl hippopotamus and elephant might indicate that the farmers of those times had a richer
variety of non Vegetarian diet than that of their modern day counterparts.

The time bracket for the P.G.W. - and the B.R.W. - using village settlements is the same as
the one for the later Vedic tradition. Scholars believe that the P.G.W. and the B.R.W. using
people represented a mixture of the farming population of the previous period and the Aryans
of the Vedic literature.

EIzl
Check Your Progress3

1) Why is the study of potteries important?

.................................................
.................................................
.................................................

2) Write a note on the Ochre Coloured Pottery in 50 words.

.................................................
.................................................
.................................................

3) Why is the N.B.P.W. important? Write a description of this pottery in 50 words.

.................................................
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Archaeology and Antiquity

19.5 SOME OF THE IMPORTANT CITIES OF NORTH
INDIA IN THE 6TH CENTURY B.C.
In this section we shall survey the archaeology of some of the great urban sites which came
into being in the first millenium B.C. we shall also try to find out whether the evidences found
form a sufficiently homogeneous whole to justify the name the Ganges civilization.

Main Urban Centres in India (600 B.C.)

Hastinapur
This famed capital of the ancient dynasty of the Kurus, the famous dynasty described in the
epic Mahabharata, started of as an small settlement in about 1800 B.C. This settlement in
the Mawana tehsil of the Meerut district is now about five miles away from the Ganga. The
literary references mention it as being located on the bank of the river. The earliest settlers
seem to have used the Ochre Coloured Pottery. The area of settlement was very small. The
succeeding period is characterised by the use of the Painted Grey Ware Pottery (P.G.W.).
This pottery is important because people living in a large number of settlements in the Upper
Gangetic valley were using the P.G.W. It is interesting to know that the bowls and plates used
by modern Indians are similar in shape to the ones found in the P.G.W. pottery. So, although
LL_ ___-_.1AL _ _ _ - : _ _ _ _ L _ I
T_.l:___ _.&---:I,. --- -l..-:--+l.-:-
11---. -.-t- -.-.-I----:- +I-,.
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way determined by our ancestors almost three thousand years ago. The people of Hastinapur Archaeological Sites -
(Post Harappa)
lived in houses made with mud or mud bricks. They were unfamiliar with the use of iron. Many
copper arrowheads, nail parers, antimony rods have been found. To a modern day visitor
Hastinapur a thousand years ago would have looked lie a small baekward village of upper
Gangetic valley.

Kausambi

Kausambi the famed capital of the Vatsas whose king Udayana is famous for his romances
and escapedes, is now a small settlement called Kosam. But in the sixth Century B.C. it was
a very large city. It had ramparts over 30 feet high. They were armed with bastions at regular
intervals. After the original construction rectangular towers of baked bricks were imposed
upon bastions. The remains of a large palace have been discovered. The most interesting
find is that of the Ghositarama monastery. The Buddhist literature tells us that it was the
favourite haunt of the Buddha and his disciple Anand.

Kausamhi: A rkrrnsive Wall

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Archaeology and Antiquity

Kausambi: A) Tenncotta f l g u h e s and b) Iron objects

Rajghat

Rajghat, the earliest settlement in the city of Varanasi, has been excavated by archaeologists.
It is an extensive table land rising about sixty feet above the surrounding ground level. It is
located on the north eastern outskirts of modern Banaras. The place was first settled by a
group of agriculturists somewhere in the 9th-8th century B.C. By the sixth century B.C. it had
evolved into a settlement defended by a mud rampart measuring 20 metres at the base and 6
metres in height. It was protected by a moat on the western side where the city was not
protected by the Ganga and Varuna streams. The defences protected a space of 40 hectares,
while another 100 hectares was outside the fortification. However, the ma@cence of the
fortificationis not matched by the other fmds. This might be related to the limited scale of
excavation. The excavated evidence seems to indicate that people were living in wattle and
daub hutments. They used many iron tools supplemented by tools made of bone. Their luxury
objects consisted of beads and bangles of terracotta, copper, glass and semi-preciousstones.
The city of Rajghat supported the monastic community of Sarnatha where the Buddha
preached his &st sermon.

Rajgir
The site of Rajgir south east of Patna was the largest of all the early historic cities. It was the
capital of Magadha until superseded by Pataliputra in the 4th century B.C. Rajgriha is
ensconsed in a beautiful hill girt valley. It was enclosed by a high wall girding the hills which
provided an excellent natural defence. The walls extend upto a length of 40Kms. It is 5 metres
broad at the base and reaches a height of 3 metres. The inner line of the mud rampart
extending over a length of 4.5 miles represents the heart of old Rajgir. One interesting find
of the inner fortification is the monastery of Jivakadrmanravana. It consisted of four large
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Archaeological Sites - I[
(Post Harappa)

A B
R&hat: A) Pottery Spouts and b) Sherds of Decorated Pottery

B
A Rqjghak Terracotta Figurines 1

elliptical halls within a large ellipitical enclosure. This was the monastery which had been
donated to the Buddha. It is believed to be one of the earliest preserved monastic complexes
because of its design, shared facilities and the finds of a coarse red pottery which is believed
to be earlier than the N.B.P.W.
27
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Archaeology and Antiquity Pafaliputra

Pataliputra, the imperial capital of Ashoka and many other famous kings, emerged on the
historical scene later than other famous historic cities described here. According to the
literary sources it succeeded Rajgir as the capital of the powerful Magadhan empire in the
4th century B.C. Its magnificence has been described by Megasthenese, the famous Greek
ambassador in the court of the Mauryan king Chandragupta in 302 B.C. Unfortunately the
ancient city could not be explored properly because the modern city is right on top of the
early historic settlement. Archaeological explorations suggest that the fortification of the city
might have enclosed 1350 hectares.

Pottery found at Palaliputra

Kapilvastu

Kapilvastu, the birth place of Gautam Buddha, has been identified only recently. Earlier it
was believed to have been located in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. Now it has been
conclusively identified with Ganwaria and Piparahwa in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh.
The discovery of a monastic sealing of Kapilvastu at Piparahwa has convincingly established
the identity of Kapilvastu. The mound of the town site has accumulated ruins 21 feet in height.
Its occupation went back to the period before the 6th century B.C. The coming of the
N.B.P.W. saw the use of burnt bricks here. Remains of many monasteries have been found
here.

Mathura

Mathura was one of the most important cities of ancient India. Apart from its association
with Krishna it has been associated with Buddhism and Jabism too. The sculptures of
Mathura school are famous.Despite intermittent explorations spread over a centuryMathura
remains one of the least explored cities of ancient India. The reason is that most of Modern
Mathura is built over the ancient city. There are at least nine separate mounds. Each of them
has been a treasure hunter's delight. Mathura seems to have begun as an humble settlement
in the 8th century B.C. By about 600 B.C. it had grown into a city of massive proportions. It
covered an area of about 360 hectares. It was fortified G t h a mud wal1,which in turn seems
to have been ringed by a moat. Many houses were made of baked bricks. The presence of
soakage pits shows some kind of planning for the disposal of waste.
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Archaeological Siles - I1
Conclusion (Post Harappa)

Our survey of some of the settlements of the Ganga valley is by no means comprehensive.
What it does indicate is that the period of the emergence of the cities was the same as that of
the Buddha and large kingdoms. Most of these places remain unexcavated and unexplored.

19.6 CENTRAL INDIA

The archeaology of Central India broadly comprising the areas of Madhya Pradesh and
Maharastra presents a pattern different in many ways from the Ganga valley. Central India
has a prehistory of agriculture which was generally unclear in the Ganga valley.

In their long history of development,the inhabitants of this region used many k i d s of pottery.
Some of them invented Lota shaped pottery which remains popular to this day. The farmers
of Central India used whole range of tools made of stone. A few of their tools were made of
copper. They did not know the use of iron.

The Menu of a Central Indian 3500 Years Ago

The farmers grew crops like barley, wheat, rice, bajra, jowar, lentil, horsegram, hyacinth, grass
pea, pea, black gram and green gram. They were also consumingJamun, Behada, wild Date,
Ber and myrobalan. The finds of bones cattle, sheep, goat, dog, pig, etc. indicate the range
of domesticated animals.The cut and chop marks on the bones of these animals indicate that
they were slaughtered for food. The bones of wild animals like black buck, Nilgai, Barasinga,
Chital, buffalo and rhinoceros indicate that they supplemented their diet with wild animals
too.

Ujjain

In thc period around 1000 B.C. iron tools were found in the places like Ujjain, Eran, Nagda,
etc. The people also used weapons of iron. The evolution of the cities in this period was
based on the discoveryof iron. The premier city of this area in the historic period was Ujjain.
Located on the bank of river Shipra it was surrounded by a very large rampart in the 6th
century B.C. The rampart had a height of 15metres which enclosed an area of 190 hectares.
Iron smelting and the manufacture of iron tools seems to have been one of the important
activities of the craftsmen in the city. Houses were brick built. Some kind of planning is evident
from thc presence of metalled roads, brick tank, wells and drains. According to one estimate
building the fort in Ujjain would have required a manpower of 20,000 people. Organising
such a large labour force would have required a developed state apparatus. Since those who
would build the rampart would require food and wages. If the king forced people to work he
would require an army to control such a large work force. That is why the evidence of
fortification is taken as proof of the fact that a society based on coercion and concentration
of wealth had come into being. This was also the period when evidences from Ujjain indicate
that it had established active links with the Ganga valley. This is proved by the presence of
the Northern Black Polished Ware. This pottery came in use in the Ujjain area too, in the
sixth century B.C. This is a clear case of the Gangavallcy influences coming to this area. The
early historic period as documented in ancicnt Indian literature shows that the area around
Ujjain was called Avanti. Its powerful king Pradyota is believed to have conquered Kausambi.
All this indicates that ccntral India had become part of the ambit of the Gangetic civilization.

Evidences for the presence of large townships have been found in places like Nagda in the
Ujjain district. Located on the river Chambal,theuppermost part of a partially natural mound
90 feet high rkpresents three periods. In the ~ a r l y
half of the first millennium the place was
surrounded by a rampart. Maheshwar 70 miles south of Ujjain is the famous Mahishmati of
the ancient texts. Located on the bank of the Narmada the historic mound rises to a height
of 200 feet. Except for somc exploratory excavations the site still awaits the spade of a
discerning archacologist.
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Archaeolo~and Anliquily

- --

Ihain: Iron objects

19.7 SOUTH INDLA

By the term South India we refer to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
and Kerala. These areas arc watered by the Godavari, Krishna, Tungbhadra, Penneru and
Kaveri river systems.

Farming Communities in the ~ i u t h

Farming communitiesemerged in this area in the third millennium B.C. In the post Hardppan
period evidences have been found for the presence of strong farming communities.
Nagarjunakonda (on the mouth of the river Krishna) Piklihal, Brahmagiri, Sangankallu,
Tekkalakota, Hallur (on the Tungbhadra) and T. Narsipur (at the confluence of the Kaveri
and Kapila) show the presence of farmers from very early times. On the basis of parallels with
Central Indian pottery and Radio Carbori dates these settlements have been dated to 1800 -
1050 B.C.

What did the farmers eat

Millets and pulses were the main cultivated crops. Various kinds of millet, horse gram, green
gram and black gram have been found in the remains. Hyacinth bean and barley too have
been discovered in some of these sites.These farmcrs had domesticated cattle, buffalo, sheep,
goat, pig and dog. In addition to the domesticated species, these settlements have also yielded
the remains of wild game like porcupine, black naped hare, Nilgai, Chinkara, blackbuck,
Sambar and Chital. This would indicate that the villagers hunted and ate these animals.

Pottery and Tools In the Southern Village 3500 years ago

People in these villages used various kinds of pottery. What is interesting is that they were
using vessels with spouts. In the subsequent phases of evolution they showed use of pottery
similar to those of Central India. The range in the shapes and sizes of pots had increased.
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They were using bowls withlips lugs and spouts, handled and hollow footed bowls, jars, dishes
Archaeological Sites - I1
(Poet Harappa)
on stand and perforated vessels. What is interesting is the fact that the shapes of their pots
virtually anticipate all the shapes of the pots used by the modern day villagers in South India.
These villagers used a large number of tools made of stone. They used copper bangles and
-ear rings.

mergence of Cities in the South

Although they started using iron tools earlier than the Ganga valley, cities emerged in South
almost four to five centuries later. The core region for the emergence of civilization in the
South was the modern Tamilnadu area. In the centuries preceding the Christian era the
Tamils composed their most beautiful poems to date. These are called the Sangam poems.
In these poems they refer to prosperous towns and cities. Unfortunately, the lack of proper
exploration and excavation in this area leaves many gaps in our knowledge about the process
of the emergence of the urban centres in this area. Excavations have been conducted in places
like Urayur (modern Tiruchanapally in Tamilnadu), Kaveripattinam (mouth of the river
Kaveri) and Korkai (on the bank of the Tamraparni river near Madras), Arikamedu (in
Pondicherry), Amaravati (60 miles from the mouth of the river Krishna), Nagarjunakonda in
the Guntur district in Andhra. The urban centres seem to have emerged in the beginning of
the Christian era.

Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda

Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda have yielded ruins of a large number of Buddhist
monasteries. The magnificent bas reliefs found on the Stupas is perhaps the most brilliant
exposition of the art of contemporary India. Excavations have also yielded the N.B.P.W. Thus
the finds from Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati indicate that the influences from the Ganga
valley reached this area in the centuries preceding the Christian era.

Amaravati: Salavahana Structures

Korkai, Urayur and Kaveripattinam

The ancient site of Urayur, the capital of the Colas is believed to be located within the city
limits of modern Trichinapally. The earliest occupation of the site dates back to 300 B.C. -
100 A.D. It is marked by the use of Black and Red pottery. Along with this has been found
the Roman pottery known as Rouletted and Arretine wares. A few potsherds bear Tamil
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32 NagarJunakonda: Fragments of terracotta figures

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inscriptions in the Brahmi script of the early centuries of the Christian era. Kaveripattinam
Archaeological Sites - 11
(Post Harappal
was the sea port capital of the Colas. It was located on the mouth of the river Kaveri.
Excavations have shown the presence of a massive brick platform built on natural sand and
perhaps a wharf for tying the boats. A water reservoir made of an earthen bund with brick
facade has also been discovered. Another structural complex found in this area is the remains
of a Buddhist monastery. Korkai was the capital of the ancient dynasty of the Pandyas. It has
been idcntified with a modern village on the bank of the Tanlraparni river near Madras. The
discnwry of innumerable pearl oysters in different levels indicates that the site was an
important centre of pearl fishery.

liaveripattinsnl: Excakated remains of Huddhiat Vihara

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Archaeology end Antiquity Arikamedu

The site of Arikamedu in Pondicherry has shown the presence of a Roman warehouse. It was
a brick built commercial town. It seems that this place functioned as a trading station for the
Roman traders. Finds of Amphora (a particular pottery used by the Romans for exporting
wine) are speciallyinteresting as it indicates that the Indianshad developed a taste for foreign
wine. The warehouse was used for working precious and semi precious stones and exporting
it to Rome. Many Roman coins have also,beenfound in the excavations.

The presence of Roman influence along with the influences from the Ganga valley in the form
of Buddhism indicate the nature of urbanisation in the South. The spread of Buddhism was
related to the expansion of trade networks which together created the cities of South. But the
ethos of these cities remained very different from those of the Ganga valley.

rCheck Your Progress3

1) Read the following statements and mark right ( 4 )or wrong ( x ).

i) Rahghat is situated in Rajasthan. [ ]
ii) Rajgir was the earlier capital of the Magadh state. [ ]
iii) Udayan was the king of Hastinapur. [ ]
iv) Archaeological findings show that Mathura was an ancient city. [ ]

2) Write short notes on the following:

a) Hastinapur b) Nagm~unkonda.

19.8 LET US SUM UP

The survey of the settlements in the post Harappan period is by no means comprehensive.
Indian archaeology is still in its formative stage. So much remains undiscovered that any
aspiring archaeologist can discover a settlement in his backyard. Virtually every corner and
every settlement hides some secret of the past. India needs a very large number of amateur
and professional archaeologists to discover its rich heritage.

19.9 KEYWORDS
Aryans : The group of people who spoke the Indo-European languages like
Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, etc.

Brahmi Script : The earliest known script of post-Harappan India. Most of

modern Indian scripts such as Tamil, Devanagari, etc. are derived .
from it.

Double cropping : TO grow two crops on one piece of land in one year.

Lower Ganga Valley : The areas covered by the river Ganga and its tributories in Bengal.
 Downloaded from http://SmartPrep.in ArchaeoIogical Sites - I1
Middle Ganga Valley: The areas covered by the rivers Ganga, Sarayu,Kosi, etc. in Eastern (Post
U.P. and Bihar.

Upper Ganga Valley : The areas covered by the rivers Ganga and Yamuna in the plains
of western U.P., Delhi, etc.

Thermoluminiscent : A scientific method of dating ceramic materials.

Dating

Wattle and : A house or hut made of interlaced twigs plastered with mud or lay.
Daub House

19.11 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES

rCheck Your Progress-1

I) See Section 19.2.

I

2) See Sub-sec. 19.2.3.

rCheck Your Progress-2

1) See Section 19.3 and 19.4.

2) See Sub-sec. 19.4.1.

3) See Sub-sec. 19.4.3.

rCheck Your Progress3

1) i) X , ii) 4, iii) X , iv) 4

2) See relevant parts of Secs. 19.5 and 19.7.