Harappan ruins dated to 3200 BC

Topic started by mr (@ webproxy05qfe0.sbi.com) on Wed Jan 30 11:20:39 .
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From Deccan Chronicle - Jan 30,2002

Hyderabad, Jan. 29: Excavations in Hissar district of Haryana during the last five years have yielded findings that suggest that the rise of Harappan civilisation had stared around 3200 BC.

This was revealed by Archaeological Survey of India Director, Excavations, Amarendra Nath during a lecture at Salar Jung Museum on Tuesday.

Nath who was in the city for the last three days, extended his stay by a day to speak on Archeological discoveries at Harappan site, Rakhigarhi, and its cultural significance.

He divided the Harappan civilisation into three phases — Early Period that started from 3200 BC to 2500 BC; Matured Period that began in 2500 BC and reached its zenith in 1900 BC and Later Period that took off from 1900 BC and remained till 1600 BC.

In 1997, he said, excavations were undertaken in Rakhigarhi area of Hissar district and carried out for three “field seasons” or winters.

To the surprise of the investigators the sites began giving evidence that the early Harappan people lived in organised settlements that hitherto was thought to be the phenomenon of the Matured era.

The people of the era also knew the use of copper, wove carpet-like cloth, coloured it at specially made dying ghat and performed religious rituals such as animal sacrifice. They buried their women who wore metallic ornaments and ivory bangles.

There are two places in Rakhigarhi that are known as Rakhi Khas and Rakhi Shah, he said. The excavation sites in these places are spread over an area of 236 hectare.

It was discovered that the people in the Early Period built circular houses. The pattern of these housing units changed over to square and rectangle during the

Matured Era. The circular houses were built by burnt bricks layers of which are still found fitted in the walls. They started using copper around 2700 BC because there is evidence of smelter plant like structure.

Copper implements such as a needle with a hole in the head that could have been used for knitting or weaving some kind of cloth; a knife like piece that is normally used by carpet weavers and, an arrow-headed metal piece were found indicating that the people were involved in craftsmanship of some level.

There were also finds such as tops, whistles, discs etc. that indicated the people also played some form of sports.

Against the backdrop of new findings, Nath said, archaeologists and historians should look at the Harappan civilisation from a new perspective.

“Our experts need to change their mindset and try to understand that the evolution of that civilisation had begun as early as 3200 BC,” he said.

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