Harappan Settlement Unearthed in Gujarat
Question : Discuss the recent excavation at Padta Bet in Gujarat and its significance in understanding the Harappan civilization.
Excavation at Padta Bet
- Archaeologists discovered a human skeleton, pottery artifacts, and animal bones at Padta Bet in Gujarat.
- The site is 1.5 km from the Juna Khatiya mass burial ground, an Early Harappan necropolis.
- This finding supports the theory that the Juna Khatiya graveyard served a cluster of settlements like Padta Bet.
Harappan Civilization
- One of the oldest civilizations globally, alongside Mesopotamia and Egypt.
- Flourished along the Indus River (Indus Valley Civilization).
- Bronze Age civilization known for copper-based alloy objects.
Major Features of Harappan Civilization
- Urban Planning:Well-planned towns with brick houses along roads. Houses had staircases, kitchens, multiple rooms, courtyards with wells, bathrooms, and proper drainage systems.
- Ornaments:Made from gold, silver, ivory, shell, clay, semi-precious stones, etc.
- Trade:Extensive trade networks reaching Mesopotamia, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Religion and Iconography:Indus Valley artifacts depict symbols and motifs believed to be religious.
- Examples include the “Priest King” figure and images of bulls, suggesting animal reverence.
- Craftsmanship and Artistry:Known for intricate pottery, including the famous red pottery with black painted motifs. They also created jewelry, sculptures, and seals from various materials.
- Agriculture:Cultivated crops like wheat, barley, peas, and cotton.
- Social Organization:Likely stratified with a hierarchical structure based on variations in housing sizes and presence of public buildings.
- Decline:Reasons debated, but possible factors include ecological changes (river course shifts) and invasions/conflicts.
Major Harappan Sites
- Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan)
- Mohenjo-Daro (Sindh, Pakistan)
- Dholavira (Kutch district of Gujarat)
- Kalibangan (Rajasthan)
- Lothal (Gujarat)
- Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
- Other sites in Sindh (Pakistan), Punjab (Pakistan), Baluchistan (Pakistan), and Uttar Pradesh (India)
हिन्दी