A team of researchers and students from the Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, has discovered an ‘early historic site’ at Moti Cher in the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
Explorations (in April-May, 2015) by the team in the larger Kutch area unearthed 19 new archaeological sites of which two were new Harappan sites. The rest are datable to the Early Historic and Medieval periods.
According to team leader and assistant professor S.V. Rajesh, the excavations were done to “understand the distribution of Harappan culture in Kutch and inter-relationships between the Harappan and related contemporary cultures in the Kutch region.” Early Historic sites in the context of Kutch date back to around 2,000 years and beyond while Medieval sites date back to around the 9{+t}{+h}century AD, Dr. Rajesh said.
Moti Cher yielded evidence for large scale production of ceramics, iron working, and shell working. Major finds from the site include shell bangles, carved bones, stone beads, iron objects, grinding stones, red polished ware and gray ware ceramics.
“This is interesting as it borders the Great Rann of Kutch, now almost barren, and the evidence yielded from the site indicates the area was a thickly habitated flourishing township during historic to medieval period and probably played a vital role in the trade between Gujarat and the Sind region,” Dr. Rajesh said.
Another site of Nani Rayan which was resurveyed extensively also yielded a large number of artefacts attesting to its early historic to medieval antecedence. The finds from this spot are ceramics including shards of torpedo jars, red polished ware, turquoise glazed ware, other local ceramic, stone and glass beads, shell bangles and a Ganesa figurine.
The team also conducted excavations at the site of Navinal which was explored thoroughly in 2014. This year’s excavation yielded mud brick and stone structures and artefacts (stone beads, amulet, animal figurines, shell bangles, shell comb, copper objects and ceramics), establishing Harappan antecedents. Many indicators of large scale craft production (pottery production, stone tool production, copper working and shell working) were visible at the site.
Other sites
Apart from the exploration and excavation activities the students also visited Harappan sites including Dholavira, Lothal, Desalpur, Surkotada, Kanmer, Narapa, Shikarpur and Juni Kuran and monuments and forts of Champaner, a world heritage site. The team explored the medieval glaze production site at Lashkarshah in Khambhat in Anand district and also interacted with artisans at Khambhat and Gunthiali.
Two are new Harappan sites
Excavations yield many artefacts
Archaeology delegation unearths 19 sites, some of which dates back to 2,000 years.
