The chance discovery of a broken copper crown on the skull of a skeleton, a red ware bowl, a miniature pot and a sling ball at Chandayan village, 100 km from New Delhi, has made the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavate the site. Carnelian and faience beads decorate the crown.
There is excitement in the air because Chandayan could turn out to be a late Harappan site. The village is in Baraut tehsil, Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh, in the surrounding plains of the Hindon and another river.
A.K. Pandey, Superintending Archaeologist, Excavation Branch-II, ASI, said the artefacts came to light in August when labourers were digging farmland to collect clay for making bricks. Collared rims of pots were among the discoveries. So the ASI explored the site the same month and brought to light the fragment of a human bone, potsherds, storage jars, bowls and dish-on-stands.
“Interestingly, most of the potsherds are sturdy red plain ware, except for a grey one and a few slightly decorated ones. Three graffiti marks have been noticed on the potsherds here. The pottery shows similarities with late Harappan pottery in a preliminary observation, reflecting a regional or local character,” said Mr. Pandey, who is the director of the excavation.
The local people, with the help of the police, prevented further digging for clay for making bricks. Instead, “they were keen to dig [into] the past,” he said
Rakesh Tewari, Director-General, ASI, cleared the site for excavation.
Uttar Pradesh has several Harappan sites, including Sanauli, Mandi and Alamgirpur.
The early Harappan phase lasted from 3300 BCE to 2600 BCE, the mature phase from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE and the late phase from 1900 BCE to 1600 BCE. The period varies, depending on the site.
