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Occasional Paper 12
Linguistics, Archaeology
and
the Human Past
E
T OSADA H ENDO
Indus Project
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature
Kyoto, Japan
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
e M.S. University of Baroda
Abstract
The paper presents the regional identity and distinctive features of a group of non-Harappan pottery associated with the
Harappan aliated Chalcolithic settlements in North Gujarat. e regional tradition in pottery has been equated with a distinct
socio-economic group within the Chalcolithic society. e regional model questions the concept of a homogeneous Harappan
society and elucidates the nature of diverse socio-economic strands in the making of the integrated Harappan society of North
Gujarat.
Until a decade and a half ago, North Gujarat was
considered to be the backwaters of the Harappa
culture; a region not particularly preferred by the
Harappan agricultural communities to settle down
in. A series of explorations and excavations since
1978 have dramatically changed this belief after the
discovery of more than hundred Harappan affiliated
Chalcolithic sites in this region (IAR 1978-79, 1982-
83, 1984-85 to 1994-95; Hegde and Sonawane 1986,
Bhan 1994). Six sites among these have so far been
excavated (see Hegde et al. 1988, IAR 1984-85 to
1990-91, 1992-93 to 1994-95). Artefact assemblages
from many of these explored and excavated sites
include a few pottery types, which are dierent from
the Harappan pottery. These distinct non-Harappan
pottery types are characteristic of the North Gujarat
region and, therefore, can be named the "Anarta"
tradition after the traditional name of North Gujarat.
The Anarta tradition not only had an independent
existence prior to the spread of Harappa culture but
also was associated with the Mature/Urban and later
Phases of the Harappa culture.
Much of the pottery belonging to the Anarta
tradition had already been identified earlier in the
excavation at Surkotada in Kachchh district (Joshi
1972:122-26)1. In spite of this, it was only after the
excavation at Nagwada in Surendranagar district in
the late 1980's (Hegde et al. 1988: 60-62), which had
revealed a ceramic assemblage predominated by the
regional Anarta pottery types, the need to investigate
the significance of this non-Harappan tradition
was fully recognized. A cursory glance through the
published literature on the Harappa culture in Gujarat
may indicate that almost all important excavated sites
like Lothal, Surkotada, Somnath (Prabhas Patan),
Rojdi, Nagwada etc. (Figure 1), have brought to
light cultural relics, predominantly pottery, that are
different from the Harappan. The non-Harappan
pottery types, which are found independently as well
as in association with the Harappan relics, vary in
quality and quantity from those of the Harappan.
No serious attempt has been made so far to evaluate
the significance of these non-Harappan components
in the making of the Harappan society and culture.
One way of addressing this issue is by studying the
non-Harappan traits as the expression of a local
tradition peculiar to a geographically and culturally
circumscribed region within the large cultural domain
of the Harappa culture. It is in this context the
Harappan aliated Chalcolithic settlements in North
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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Gujarat become signicant.
Problems and Perspectives
e regional paradigm for understanding the cultural
dynamism of the Harappa culture in North Gujarat is
essentially based on two important assumptions, both
to a large extent dependent on the ceramic assemblage
from North Gujarat sites. To begin with, we assume
pottery as a group identier. e group, by and large,
could be a social group (we would not like to call
it an ethnic group as it has wider connotations) or
sometimes it could also be an economic group. It is
Figure 1 Location of North Gujarat and major Harappan/Chalcolithic sites mentioned in the paper
e box in the map is expanded in Figure 31
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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not an easy task to distinguish and discriminate the
two archaeologically. e truth of our interpretation,
therefore, depends up on how correctly we are able
to distinguish the two. One way to understand
some of the general features of the model through
which this complicated issue can be addressed is
an ethno-archaeological investigation of pottery-
using societies. Problem oriented studies, such as the
recent ethnographic study on Kachchh potters by
Chokshi (1995), focussing on the above features for
understanding the social conguration are very much
a desideratum in Harappan studies.
Very often, social and economic groups could
be mutually inclusive; but not necessarily always so.
One may come across two distinctive social groups
having the same economic status or conversely, a
single social group may have dierent economic strata
within it. It is not our intention to reify inanimate
objects like pottery at this juncture, and we are also
aware of the inherent diculties in such an attempt.
But, in view of paucity of workable leads towards a
better understanding of the Harappan society, it is
important to have such paradigms. Changes within the
conceptual frame of reference could be incorporated as
we move further and as and when it is necessary.
Secondly, we assume that the Harappan pottery
was heterogeneous. This, therefore, questions the
homogeneous nature of the Harappan pottery and
society. Most of the studies in Harappan pottery are to
a great extent inuenced by the meticulous description
of pottery from Mohenjodaro and Chanhudaro by
E.J.H. Mackay (1931, 1938, 1943) and in Gujarat
by a generalized scheme of chronological framework
proposed by S.R. Rao (1963: 20-25). Both studies
have their merits and demerits. Mackay's description
followed by Wheeler's writings (see Wheeler 1947,
1960) catered to an impression that the Harappan
ceramics at Mohenjodaro and Harappa formed a
homogeneous assemblage. We do not know how far
the two scholars were overawed by the fine features
of the well made Harappan pottery and overlooked
the coarse variety in the assemblage. In any case,
their writings led to the impression of an over-
standardized pottery assemblage, probably at best,
applicable to the urban centres and urban economy.
The standard features thus became a rooted position
and a touchstone for generations of archaeologists
for referring to Harappan ceramic assemblages from
several sites located in different parts of the large
Harappan cultural domain.
When S.R. Rao started excavating at Rangpur in
the 1950's, he was faced with issues which were of a
totally dierent nature. Two earlier excavations at the
site in the 1930's by M.S. Vats (1935) and G. Ghurye
(1939) had proclaimed its Harappan character and
were able to propose the southward extension of the
Harappa culture into Gujarat. On the other hand,
M.G. Dikshit (1950), after the renewed excavation
of the site in 1947, had found it dicult to ascertain
the Harappan features of the assemblage. Rao took up
the excavation at this ambivalent juncture to ascertain
the nature of Chalcolithic settlement at the site (Rao
1963:8). While he was able to ascertain the Harappan
remains unearthed in the excavations at Rangpur
from 1953 to 1956, he had also reported signicantly
dierent material remains from the site which was not
fitting into the homogeneous Harappan model (Rao
1963: 13-25). Rao observed that, stratigraphically the
variant materials, especially pottery, were predominant
in the later levels. This led to the original three fold
division of the Harappa culture in Gujarat into
Mature, Late and Post-Harappan. One of the merits
of this framework was that it clearly defined for the
rst time, even though somewhat inexibly, the three
phases of the Harappa culture in terms of ceramic and
other cultural indices at a time when the Harappan
cultural milieu was growing into a jungle of confusion.
e division is essentially chronological and to a large
extend overlooks all other aspects of cultural variation.
In spite of this drawback, initially, the concept of a
uni-linear evolution of pottery illustrated through
specic attribute variations did help to categorize sites
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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into dierent periods of cultural developments within
this broad framework. In the absence of absolute
dates from most of the surface sites the new scheme
became an extremely useful tool in the chronological
classication of Harappan sites in Gujarat. As a result,
those simple criteria of chronological divisions were
followed or are still being followed in Harappan site
classification without considering other factors that
can contribute towards variation in material culture.
Generally speaking, these two concepts – the
concept of Harappan homogeneity and Rao's ideas
of regional evolution – somewhat contradictory
though, have greatly influenced the development of
various research models on the Gujarat Harappan.
During our excavation in 1985 at Nagwada in North
Gujarat (Figure 1) we, however, found that neither
of these concepts could be directly adopted to study
the material remains, especially pottery, from the site.
This realization became stronger in the subsequent
excavations and explorations in the region. e amount
of Mature Harappan pottery at Nagwada is meagre,
constituting hardly 20% of the total collection. Yet,
the site has yielded most of the characteristic remains
which we generally associate with the Classical/Mature
Harappan including a terracotta sealing having an
inscribed seal impression. No real "Late Harappan"
pottery, as described by Rao (1963), is found at the
site. Instead, the assemblage is dominated by the
Gritty Red ware and a few other pottery types that
showed little resemblance to the Classical Harappan
pottery. In fact, the new types belonged to a ceramic
tradition confined to the North Gujarat region. The
ceramic tradition has an individuality of its' own
in terms of techniques used in clay preparation and
pottery production. e individuality is visible in the
vessel forms, surface treatment and even in the quality
of their ring. Very often in the assemblage one comes
across imitations of Harappan vessels in the Gritty
Red ware. Besides, there is also another distinct set of
pottery confined only to the burials excavated at the
site. e burial pottery is not only dierent from the
Mature Harappan but also from the above regional
pottery types. Clearly, none of these were tting into
the conservative homogeneous Harappan model. It
is at this time we started thinking of the existence
of a regional Chalcolithic tradition within the wider
cultural mosaic of the Harappan tradition in North
Gujarat.
In view of the above variations within the cultural
remains in North Gujarat, it would be worthwhile
to investigate how the variations came into being
and in what way would the studies on these varying
components affect our overall understanding of the
Harappa culture. Proper identification of regional
traditions and understanding their origin, integration
and survival become important in the Harappan
studies in this context. e immediate premise of our
further studies would, therefore, be that the Harappan
society was not a homogeneous one, but a tapestry
consisting of many individual strands forming an
integrated whole, probably held together by common
cultural ethos. By trying to separate the elements of
regional tradition we are only trying to understand and
evaluate how each of these individual strands interact
with and integrate into the Harappa culture. And, it
is within this frame of reference we treat distinctive
pottery types in a region as the material representative
of a social group. e validity of this assumption could
be tested by further specic studies designed for that
purpose.
The pottery type vis-à-vis social/economic group
equation needs further clarification. It is not our
intention to treat every single and simple variation in
pottery as representative of a separate social group. It
is an accepted fact that a given type of pottery shows
some amount of variation within a site and between
sites. Such variations are a common denominator for
all types of pottery. Moreover, in order to identify a
group of pottery as a regional tradition, it should be
distinct from the mainstream Harappan ceramic types
in their form, clay texture and surface treatment and
in the decorative patterns painted on the vessels. It
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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should also be represented by varieties of vessel forms.
Besides, to designate such distinctive pottery types as
part of a regional pottery tradition, it should also have
a regional or geographical identity; that is, it should
be present not just at one site, but in an appreciable
number of sites in the region. Precisely, these are the
dierent aspects which distinguish the non-Harappan
pottery types of North Gujarat as a distinct regional
pottery tradition.
North Gujarat Environmental Setting
Gujarat constitutes three important physiographic
regions: Kachchh, Saurashtra and the mainland
of Gujarat. The narrow corridor which connects
the mainland of Gujarat with Kachchh, bordered
in the northwest by the Rann of Kachchh and in
the southeast by the Sabarmati, is known as North
Gujarat (Figure 1). It is traditionally known by the
name "Anarta" (Majmudar 1960). North Gujarat is a
semiarid, sandy plain, dotted with fossil sand-dunes.
The region extends in the north from the southern
Rajputana and gradually merges into the alluvial plains
of Saurashtra and central Gujarat. North Gujarat
includes Banaskantha and Mehsana districts and the
northern parts of Surendranagar, Sabarkantha and
Ahemdabad districts. It is drained by the Banas, the
Sarasvati, the Rupen, the Sabarmati and their tributary
streams. Except the Sabarmati which flows into the
Gulf of Cambay, all other rivers flow into the Little
Rann of Kachchh. Except the Sabarmati, no other
rivers in this region are perennial; yet, during the
monsoon, they drain a large volume of water into the
Rann. Also, most of these rivers and their tributaries
at present contain brackish water for the major part
of the year. The Banas and the Sarasvati which flow
in the northern part of the region are heavily silted
and have a broad and shallow channel. It is dicult to
assess precisely when actually the silting started, as the
region is not well studied with that as a focal point.
Silting is relatively less evident in the Rupen which,
on the other hand, forms deep channel by cutting the
alluvium. At places, the river section has a height of 6
to 8 m indicating a deep entrenchment of the channel.
The newly discovered Chalcolithic settlements
in North Gujarat are located in the estuaries of the
Rupen, the Banas and the Sarasvati forming the
eastern margin of the Little Rann of Kachchh and
on both side of the narrow creek-like depression that
connects the Little Rann and the Great Rann. The
entire area is covered by a thick deposit of sandy loams
and appears dead at except for a few stabilised sand
dunes and the attendant shallow blow-outs. These
inter-dunal depressions accumulate rainwater and
many a times retain the water throughout the year.
Since water in these village ponds remains potable,
they are an important source of water for people as
well as livestock.
The climate in the region is characterised by
hot summers and cold winters and, therefore, a dry
weather prevails in the region during most part of
the year. Being situated in a climatic zone of 600 mm
isohyets (Figure 1), rainfall in this region is sparse
and irregular. Because of the unpredictability and
the uneven distribution of rainfall, drought in this
region is a recurrent phenomenon, the latest of which
occurred during the year 1986 to 1990. Nearly ninety
percent of the soil in this region is sandy. The black
cotton soil is also not uncommon in some parts. In
many areas, the soil is poor and saline and the subsoil
water is brackish. e salinity rises up in summer and
does not go back to the original low level because of
low and scanty rainfall. At many places, such lands
have developed into rich pastoral elds.
All these environmental factors have considerable
influence on the subsistence activities of the present
day population of North Gujarat. Millet, especially
bajri (pearl millet) and cotton are the two important
crops grown in the region, as these two do not need
much moisture and, therefore, are suited to the
environment. In fact bajri is the staple food of rural
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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folks in North Gujarat, Kachchh and Saurashtra today.
Vast pastoral grassland and fallow-land in the region
support a large population of cattle, sheep and goat. In
fact, pastoralism and agriculture are the two important
components of the village economy of North Gujarat
at present. We will see later that the pattern was not
much dierent during the Chalcolithic period too.
Chalcolithic Settlements and Ceramic
Assemblages
As has been mentioned in the beginning, more
than a hundred Chalcolithic sites have so far been
located in North Gujarat (see Appendix). e artefact
assemblages from these explored sites and a few
excavated ones in the region show an assortment of
pottery, lithic and shell artefacts and a few terracotta
objects. Most of these sites are affiliated at varying
degrees to different periods of the Harappa culture.
In order to understand the pattern of settlement
distribution during different periods, it is necessary
to classify them according to their cultural aliation.
Pottery being the most abundant and chronologically
sensitive artefact in most of the sites, the classication
has been practically based on the presence/absence or
relative abundance of chronometric pottery type-fossils
belonging to dierent periods. Besides, rare specimens
of the Reserved Slip ware sherds, triangular terracotta
cakes and characteristic shell artefacts, agate weights
and Rohri chert blades from the sites also helped to
substantiate the classication.
Based on these considerations the entire collection
of pottery from the above sites can be divided into
two major categories: (a) the Harappan types and
(b) the regional type or the Anarta Pottery tradition
peculiar to North Gujarat and southeastern parts of
Kachchh. In addition to these, there are two more
important ceramic industries associated with the above
assemblages: the Micaceous Red ware and the Black
and Red ware of Saurashtra. Since these two industries
are not necessarily confined to North Gujarat, and
have their origin outside North Gujarat, they are not
part of the Anarta tradition.
e Harappan Pottery
e majority of pottery collected from the sites in this
region belonged to the following successive Periods/
Phases of the Harappa culture in Gujarat: (a) the
Mature/Classical Harappan, (b) the Sorath Harappan
characterised by the Rojdi A, B and C (Possehl and
Raval 1989, Possehl and Herman 1990) and the
Rangpur Period-IIA and IIB pottery and (c) the Post-
Urban Harappan represented by the Rangpur Period-
IIC and Period-III pottery, particularly the Lustrous
Red ware (Rao 1963: 20-25). Sites belonging to
the first two periods essentially belong to the Urban
Phase of the Harappa culture. General features of
the Harappan pottery from these three periods are
so well known and therefore no attempt is made to
describe them here. The Harappan pottery includes
the Red ware, Bu ware, Coarse Red ware and Coarse
Grey ware with or without incised decoration and the
Lustrous Red ware. Associated with them are found
the Black and Red ware and rare specimens of the
Micaceous Red ware in some of the sites. e vessels
are similar to those from other Harappan sites in
Saurashtra and their forms vary, corresponding to the
Period to which the site belongs. While the type-fossils
of the Classical/Mature Harappan shapes are found
only at a few sites like Nagwada (Figures 2 and 3), a
majority of sites belonged to the Sorath Harappan and
the Late Sorath Harappan. The Lustrous Red ware
of the Post-Urban, Rangpur Period III, is one of the
important ceramic types reported from the sites in the
region.
In addition to the above types, the Harappan
pottery includes a few sherds of the Reserved Slip
ware and Rusticated Red ware. Although reported
only from a few sites the Reserved Slip ware sherds
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 2 e Classical Harappan pottery from Nagwada excavation
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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Figure 3 e Harappan pottery from Nagwada excavation: -, Classical Harappan; , , , imitation of Harappan
shapes in the Anarta pottery; and Nageshwar bowls aliated to the Classical Harappan; - aliated to the Sorath
Harappan (- Black and Red ware)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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have a steel grey core, a black rst slip and a bluish-
grey second slip. The second slip was removed from
the surface to form either parallel or wavy line pattern
in the usual reserved slip technique. An appreciable
number of rusticated sherds are found in the Late
Sorath (Rangpur Period IIC, Rojdi C) or/and Post-
Urban Harappan sites. These are the sherds of Red
ware pots whose external surface was roughened with
the application of sand while the clay was wet and
plastic.
Anarta Pottery: The Regional Pottery
Tradition of North Gujarat
e regional pottery tradition of North Gujarat needs
detailed description as it is peculiar to this region. As
has been mentioned earlier much of our understanding
about the features of this non-Harappan pottery
tradition is based on the excavations at Nagwada and
Loteshwar. Although the Mature Harappan pottery
and other type-fossils of the Classical Harappan are
recovered from Nagwada, the ceramic assemblage is
predominated by the non-Harappan pottery types
of the Anarta tradition which constituted more than
80% of the assemblage. A Fine Red ware, Gritty Red
ware, Burnished Red ware and a Burnished Grey/
Black ware are the important types so far identified
in this ceramic tradition from Nagwada. The Anarta
pottery at Loteshwar includes potsherds with incised
decoration.
The Gritty Red ware is the most important and
characteristic type of the Anarta ceramic tradition.
While the Fine Red ware is found in considerable
quantity, the Burnished Red ware and the Burnished
Grey/Black wares are rare in the collection. That,
all these different types belong to the same ceramic
tra d i t i o n is evident from the co m m o n shapes,
decorative patterns and other features of the vessels.
e division, however, is made on the basis of relative
neness of the clay, variation in surface treatment and
sometimes on the basis of the colour of the pottery.
The Fine Red ware and the Gritty Red ware show
remarkable conformity in shape and decoration.
Besides, a few Harappan type-fossil vessels like the
dish-on-stand and perforated jar were imitated in both
the types at Nagwada (Figure 3). Small or medium
size pots are the only shape so far identied in the case
of Burnished Red ware and the Burnished Grey ware.
Features of the pot in these two types are similar to the
small and medium pots of the Gritty Red ware and the
Fine Red ware.
e Gritty Red Ware
This is the most abundant and popular pottery type
of the Anarta tradition present in the North Gujarat
Chalcolithic sites. It occurs in different vessel forms
like pots/jars, bowls and basins, and has painted
decorations different from the Classical Harappan
(Figures 4-11). The clay used in the preparation of
these vessels was not suciently elutriated and rened.
As its name implies, the core has a gritty appearance
because of the admixture of a considerable amount of
sand. According to the size and the relative abundance
of sand particles present in the clay this pottery can
be further classified into a fine and a coarse variety.
The vessels of the Fine Gritty Red ware, in general,
have a thin body and a good coating of slip. ey are
decorated with paintings and well fired too. On the
other hand, the Coarse Gritty Red ware generally has a
thick body and was coated with a thin wash of slip or
no slip at all. Often the coarse variety was indierently
fired and painted were done more casually than the
ne variety.
Mode of Production
e Gritty Red ware vessels are either hand modelled
or made on a slow turn-table; for the striations on the
interior of the vessels are short, irregular and zigzag.
However, many of the vessels show a wheel turned rim
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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Figure 4 e Anarta pots/jars from Nagwada: - Gritty Red ware; , Coarse Grey ware; Grey ware: (, , Cream slip)
luted to a hand modelled body. Very rarely, specimens
of wheel made vessels in the Gritty Red ware are
also found. For example, when the Harappan shapes
like the dish-on-stand is imitated in the Gritty Red
ware, they are wheel thrown. Such imitations are met
with only in assemblages that were associated with
the Classical/Mature Harappan sites; for instance at
Nagwada and Zekhada
e vessels show a general crudeness and coarseness
in spite of various surface treatments. Two types of
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 5 e Anarta pottery from Nagwada: Fine Red ware; - Gritty Red ware (, , bichrome paintings, and dark
brown slip, - cream slip
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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Figure 6 e Gritty Red ware and the Fine Red ware pot/jar from Loteshwar (photo by Akinori Uesugi)
Figure 7 Pots/jars of the Gritty Red ware and Fine Red ware from Loteshwar showing the whitish background in which the
paintings are executed
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 8 e Gritty Red ware bowls and basins from Nagwada (photo by Akinori Uesugi)
Figure 9 e Gritty ware bowls from Loteshwar
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
surface treatments can be identied in this pottery: (a)
vessels coated with a slip and (b) vessels having no slip.
In the latter case, the vessels are just left alone in their
coarse condition, without applying any kind of slip.
Large and medium size thick walled vessels generally
belong to this category. Vessels in the rst category are
coated either with a thin wash of the slip solution or
with a regular thick slip having varying shades of red,
chocolate, bu or cream. In many specimens, while the
whole vessels were coated with a red slip, zones at the
rim, neck or at the shoulder were applied with either
a cream or white slip and then painted in red or black
pigment. The slip was smeared carelessly on many,
especially on vessels having a chocolate slip, leaving
behind the marks of the rag with which the slip was
applied. Besides, vessels treated with buff and cream
slip are also common in the Gritty Red ware. The
vessels of the ne Gritty Red ware are generally treated
with a normal thick slip of dark brown or red colour
in a similar manner. The vessels treated with a wash
of slip have a drab red appearance. Many of the large
and medium size pots, bowls and basins were treated
with a thin slip solution. In addition to the Gritty Red
ware, rare instances of Bu or Grey ware with a gritty
core are also found in the assemblage. is Gritty Bu
ware is similar to the Gritty Red ware except for the
buff colour. Considering its small number, the ware
seems to be an aberration of the Gritty Red ware than
an intentional creation of the potter.
Vessel Shapes
Pots/jars, bowls and basins are the common vessels
of the Anarta pottery tradition. The most popular
and characteristic shape in the Gritty Red is a
small or medium size pot/jar with a bulbous body,
elongated and constricted neck and a widely flaring
out rim (Figures 4, 6, 7, 14). Pots of similar shape are
common in the Fine Red ware, Burnished Red ware
and in the Burnished Grey/Black ware, indicating
their popularity in the regional pottery tradition of
Figure 10 Basins/large bowls of the Gritty and Fine Red ware of the Anarta pottery from Loteshwar
e samples at the bottom row are light greyish and bu in colour
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 11 Painted decorations on the Anarta pottery from Nagwada: -, -, - Gritty red ware; , , Fine Red ware:
, , , , bichrome (black/red in cream background); , , , , cream slip
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
North Gujarat. Pots and jars with a short projected
out or straight rims are also found in the assemblage.
Bowls and Basins are second in the popularity range
of Anarta pottery. Bowls have either convex or short,
straight sides with a slightly incurved rim (Figures 5,
8, 9). ese peculiar shapes are similar to those from
the Pre-Urban Harappan levels at Amri (Casal 1964:
Figures 38 and 39) or may have derived from them.
Basins in the Gritty Red ware are large open-mouthed
vessels with slightly convex sides and a rounded
bottom (Figure 5.10). e rim is thick and projected
out and there is a gentle carination where the curved
rim joins the body.
In addition to the above forms, typical Harappan
shapes like the dish-on-stand and the perforated
jars are imitated in the Gritty Red ware at Nagwada
(Figure 3). Such imitated forms were generally made
of relatively ne clay, coated with slip and well red so
as to look like the Harappan pottery.
Decorations
e Gritty Red ware vessels are generally painted with
varieties of complex geometric patterns, which include
sets of horizontal parallel lines with another set of
vertical or oblique strokes over it at regular intervals,
sets of parallel wavy lines, hatched diamonds, squares
and circles, series of hanging and intersecting loops
and dierent combinations of vertical and horizontal
straight or/and wavy lines (Figure 11). Black and
shades of red, which ranged from bright red to dark
brown, are the pigments generally used in such
paintings. Sometimes white pigment was also used for
painting decorative patterns and also as a background
for dark brown paintings (Figures 12 and 13). e use
of white painting seems to be a Pre-Urban Harappan
tradition in ceramic decoration well footed in the early
Chalcolithic cultures of Sindh and Rajasthan (Mughal
1974, Lal 1979). e paintings are generally conned
to the rim, neck and the shoulder parts of the vessels.
Very often, besides the customary red slip, a cream
slip was applied either at the rim or at the shoulder
thereby forming a cream zone. This zone was then
painted either in red or in black pigment producing a
bi-chrome eect (Figures 4 and 7).
ere is a specic scheme of design that repeatedly
occurs on the medium size jars/pots with a long and
narrow neck at many sites. This popular pattern
is a combination of a set of thin horizontal lines
intersected by another set of vertical strokes at
regular intervals at the rim, neck and shoulder, and
intersecting loops filled in with either wavy lines or
simple hatching, just below the shoulder. The loops
are generally bordered by thick lines or bands. Many
a times the painted designs are executed in a cream
background. is design scheme is found repeated on
the jars of the Fine Red ware and the Burnished Red
ware of the Anarta tradition (Figures 4 and 14).
A comparable colour scheme and pattern of design
are found on the bowls too. Both the interior and
exterior of the bowls are treated with slips having
shades of red colour. A cream zone is produced at
the rim by applying a broad band of cream slip, and
over this are painted sets of horizontal wavy lines and
vertical or oblique strokes, intersecting hatched loops
etc., in panels at regular intervals (Figures 5, 6, 7).
e Fine Red Ware
In its general features like shape and decoration, the
Red ware of the regional ceramic tradition is similar to
the Gritty Red ware and, therefore, distinct from the
Harappan Red ware. Unlike the Gritty Red ware, the
Anarta Fine Red ware was made of well elutriated, ne
clay. More often than not, the clay contained abundant
mica particles. As in the case of the Gritty Red ware,
the vessels are either hand modelled or made on a
turn-table. e vessels are generally treated with a red
or dark brown slip on the exterior. Bu or cream slip
is also equally common. e Fine Red ware shapes are
identical with the Gritty Red ware and include pots,
jars, basins and bowls (Figures 4 and 5). e pattern
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
Figure 12 e Gritty and Fine Red ware sherds with bichrome paintings from Loteshwar
Figure 13 Bichrome painted pottery of the Gritty Red ware and the Fine Red ware of the Anarta tradition at Loteshwar
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
Figure 14 e Anarta pottery from Nagwada: , Burnished Red ware; , , Fine Red ware; , , Gritty Red ware (
cream slip); and White painted Burnished Grey/Black ware (, , , - bichrome painting)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
and colour scheme of painted designs on the vessels
are also similar. ese overall similarities may indicate
that the Fine Red ware and the Gritty Red ware are the
ne and coarse varieties of the same ceramic tradition.
Sometimes, especially at Nagwada, characteristic
Harappan shapes were also imitated in the Anarta Fine
Red ware, which are dicult to distinguish from the
real Classical Harappan vessels.
e Burnished Red Ware
The Burnished Red ware and the Burnished Grey/
Black ware are distinguished on the basis of surface
colour and decoration. e Burnished Red ware is so
far reported only in small pots/jars: a standard shape
common in the Gritty Red ware and in the Fine Red
ware. It has a flaring out rim, long and constricted
neck, elongated, bulbous body and a round base
(Figures 14 and 15). These are thin walled vessels
having a thickness ranging from 2 to 4 mm. e pot
is generally hand modelled in two halves and luted
at the shoulder. The upper half, especially the rim,
is sometimes slow-wheel turned. It is treated with a
bright red slip and burnished to produce a smooth
shining surface. Some of the vessels are treated with a
ne dark chocolate slip up to the shoulder. Decorative
patterns are painted on the burnished surface of the
pot. The pattern and scheme of paintings are the
same as that of the Gritty Red ware. On some vessels
a bu or a cream zone is produced at the shoulder by
applying a cream slip and the patterns are executed
on that background. A few pots in this type have
bichrome painted decoration drawn in white on a
black background too.
e Burnished Grey/Black Ware
Except for its colour, which is either grey or black, this
pottery is similar to the Burnished Red ware. Pots/
jars of small size are the only shape so far found in this
type, and that too are very few. e pots have a aring
out rim, long and constricted neck, and bulbous body
(Figures 14 and 16). Some of them are cordoned with
a ridge at the shoulder. Being fired in a reducing
atmosphere the whole pot is either grey or black. A
generic resemblance with the black and red ware is
evident not only in the technique of firing but also
in the painted patterns on the exterior of the vessel.
These vessels have a well burnished exterior surface
which was painted with parallel horizontal lines or
sets of four or five wavy lines and dots in fugitive
white pigment at regular intervals around the neck or
shoulder.
Apart from the above pottery types, the assemblage
at Nagwada incorporates a large number of Black
and Red ware. The Black and Red ware is generally
represented in large bowls having short stud-handles
similar to the stud-handled bowls of the Saurashtran
Harappa sites (Figure 3). These bowls are made of
relatively well elutriated clay and have a burnished,
smooth surface and decorated with vertical strokes,
wavy lines, dots and a comb-like pattern painted in a
fugitive white pigment on the black interior.
Stratigraphy and Chronology
The Anarta pottery is associated with the Mature
Harappan remains at Nagwada from the earliest level
onwards. No appreciable variation in their relative
abundance vis-à-vis the Classical Harappan pottery
is apparent in the four successive layers, although
the second layer incorporates the maximum number
of Harappan artefacts. A single radiocarbon date
from this layer indicates c. 2200 BCE for the deposit
at Nagwada (Table 1). Many of the above pottery
types like the Gritty Red ware and Fine Red ware
are analogous with the non-Harappan Polychrome,
Bichrome and Coarse Red ware pottery excavated
from Surkotada and some of the painted Coarse
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
Figure 15 Burnished red ware, Nagwada
Figure 16 e Burnished Red and Burnished Grey/Black wares from Loteshwar (Photo by Akinori Uesugi)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Red ware from Lothal (Hegde et al., 1988: 62). At
Surkotada, in the south-eastern part of Kachchh,
the "non-Harappan" pottery types occur in the
early levels, Period-IA, dated to c. 2500 BCE along
with the Mature/Urban Harappan remains. In the
succeeding Period-IB, the non-Harappan Coarse Red
ware outnumbers even the Harappan pottery (Joshi
1972: 129), indicating its remarkable influence on
the Harappa culture at the site. Similarly, the painted
Coarse Red ware vessels reported from Lothal (Rao
1985) along with the Micaceous Red ware and the
Mature Harappan wares from the earliest level onwards
are comparable with the Gritty Red ware, particularly
in their shape and painted decoration.
The use of white colour both as a pigment as
well as a background for paintings is common in the
Stage-I and II, which precede the Mature Harappan
Stage, at Dholavira (Bisht 1989, 1994). A similar
correspondence with the Pre-Harappan Chalcolithic
pottery reported from Binjor-I, RD-89 and other
sites in Rajasthan by Dalal (1980, 1981, 1987) can
also be cited to illustrate the general ambiance of the
tradition2. It should also be noted that the Anarta
pottery shows several shared features, especially in
the painted decorations and shapes, with the Early
Harappan pottery reported from Jalilpur by Mughal
(1974). It is therefore obvious that certain vessel forms
in the Anarta pottery tradition, like the bowls, and the
use of white pigment in painted decoration are more
akin to the Pre-Urban Harappan ceramic traditions
of the Indus and the Ghaggar-Sarasvati basins, than
the Urban/Mature Harappan tradition. Therefore, a
generic kinship of the Anarta tradition of the North
Gujarat region with that of the Pre-Urban Harappan
traditions can be tentatively proposed (Ajithprasad
2002). It is noteworthy that many features of the
Gritty Red ware show close resemblance, especially
the vessel shapes, patterns of decorations and overall
techniques of production, with the Padri ware (Shinde
and Kar 1992) dating back to the second half of
the fourth millennium BCE, excavated at Padri in
the Saurashtra coast of Bhavnagar district. It can
be, suggested that most of these regional ceramic
traditions were an integral part of the Western Indian
Pre-Urban Harappan village cultures of the fourth
and the early third millennium BCE (Sonawane and
Ajithprasad 1994). This has been validated by the
excavations at Loteshwar in North Gujarat.
Anarta Tradition and Loteshwar
The Anarta tradition had an independent existence
much earlier than the beginning of Mature Harappan
in North Gujarat. In a few sites in the vicinity of the
Khari stream, a small tributary of the Rupen, the
Anarta pottery is not associated with the Harappan
remains (Figure 31). Subsequent excavation in one
of such sites at Loteshwar, in Mehsana (now Patan)
district in 1991, revealed its independent existence
prior to the beginning of the Urban Harappa culture.
All the pottery types of the Anarta that are described
above have also been reported from Loteshwar-I
(Figures 17-19, also Figures 6, 7, 9, 10). In fact,
Table 1 Radiocarbon dates from Nagwada and Loteshwar
Calibrated using IntCal, Calib Rev ..
Site Period Sample no. Date BC
half life 5730
Calibrated dates
1σ2σIntercept
Nagwada IB A 4555 1860±80 BC 2349BC(59.4%)2138BC 2470BC(95.4%)2033BC 2205calBC
Loteshwar II (Anarta) PRL 1564 2510±110 BC 3340BC(30.0%)3202BC
3199BC(38.2%)3018BC 3377BC(92.7%)2889BC 3090calBC
PRL 1565 3100±110 BC 3959BC(61.3%)3760BC 4056BC(95.3%)3636BC 3790calBC
I (Mesolithic) PRL 1567 4060±120 BC 5053BC(64.6%)4767BC 5221BC(95.4%)4610BC 4912calBC
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
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varieties of shapes and painted decorations, particularly
the white/bichrome painted ones, are much more in
the Loteshwar assemblage than in Nagwada (Figures
20 and 22, also Figures 12 and 13). In addition
to these, the assemblage included a few sherds of
Coarse Red ware and Coarse Grey ware with incised
decoration and sherds of the Gritty Red ware vessels
decorated with the "Reserved Slip" technique (Figures
21 and 22). ese are dierent from the Reserved Slip
ware found in the Classical Harappan context. They
in fact are close to the Reserved Slip ware reported
from the Chalcolithic assemblage dating back to 3500
BCE at Balathal in southern Rajasthan (Misra 2005),
probably indicating incidents of early Chalcolithic
inter-regional interaction.
Another type of pottery that is identified in the
Anarta pottery collection of Loteshwar is a Coarse Red
ware with matt surface (Figure 23). Sometimes a few
samples of this pottery in grey colour are also found in
the collection. It was made of a clay paste containing
a lot of coarse sand and was reasonably well-fired.
Generally, sections of broken potsherds of this category
have a uniform reddish colour indicating complete
oxidation of the clay. It resembles the common Coarse
Red ware in overall appearance, but has a matt external
surface that was intentionally produced by scraping
and paring. Medium to large size pots are the only
type of vessels found in this category.
The excavation at Loteshwar revealed that the
habitation deposit at the site formed discrete clusters
of artefact concentrations whose depositional history
could not be adequately ascertained. The overall
Chalcolithic deposit at the site is meagre, ranging from
hardly 20 to 40 cm. However, a conspicuous feature
of the non-Harappan occupation is the presence of a
number of roughly circular pits varying from 0.50 to
2.00 m in diameter and a corresponding variation in
depth from 0.50 to 2.00 m. It is interesting to note
that similar pits have been unearthed at Nagwada
as well as in the excavation at Santhli, another site
belonging to the Anarta tradition in Banaskantha (now
Patan) district. The pits at Loteshwar are filled with
plenty of ash and other debris of occupation including
sherds of pottery, skeletal elements of the exploited
animals, steatite micro-beads, terracotta objects and
burnt clay lumps having reed impressions, presumably
the remains of clay plaster over wattle and daub
structures. A few shell beads and semiprecious stone
beads are also found in the excavation. Radiocarbon
assay of the charcoal samples from this deposit
suggests a date c. 3600 - 3000 BCE (Table 1) thereby
indicating an early beginning of the Anarta tradition
in North Gujarat.
Loteshwar has a very rich and substantial deposit
of Mesolithic occupation, underlying the Chalcolithic
deposit. Radiocarbon date from this deposit is one
of the earliest, 4700 BCE, in Western India3. A
preliminary assessment of the rich collection of faunal
remains from the Mesolithic deposit indicates high
abundance of a few wild species of animals, especially
blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra). This would suggest
that the hunter-gatherers had probably practiced
selective hunting. Whether the selective hunting
eventually led to the beginning of herding and early
stages of organized food production is not clear at
present. In any case, this preliminary assessment
Figure 17 Gritty Red ware, Loteshwar
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 18 Loteshwar-I Anarta pottery: Coarse Red ware with matt surface; Coarse Grey ware (incised ); , , , -
Gritty Red ware; , - Fine Red ware (bichrome: black on white); Coarse Red ware; Burnished Grey/Black ware
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
Figure 19 Loteshwar-I Anarta pottery: , , -, , , Gritty Red ware, -, , , , Fine Red ware ( cream slip, ,
dark brown slip, bichrome: black on cream; Reserved slip)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
Figure 21 TAnarta pottery from Loteshwar having Reserved slip and incised decoration
Figure 20 White painted decorations on the Anarta pottery from Loteshwar
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
needs to be ascertained by further detailed analysis of
the faunal remains4. The presence of a large number
of grinding stones in quartzite, sandstone and other
rocks, and the evidence of grinding and polishing
to produce a smooth and bluntly pointed stone
implement of unknown function in a fine siltstone
from the Mesolithic level may imply intensive food
processing as well as innovations in lithic technology
during the period. Stratigraphically, the Chalcolithic
deposit directly overlies the Mesolithic deposit
without any break. However, there are no conclusive
indications of a cultural continuity from the
Figure 22 e Anarta Pottery from Loteshwar-I: , , , Fine Red ware; -, , , Gritty Red ware; Grey ware;
Coarse Red ware; (-, , bichrome: white on black; cream slip; and incised; and Reserved slip)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 24 Terracotta animal gurine from Nagwada
Figure 23 Coarse Red ware with matt surface from Loteshwar
Figure 25 Terracotta Female gurine from Nagwada
Mesolithic to the Anarta Chalcolithic at the site.
Very little is known about other cultural materials
ass o c i a t e d with the An a r ta pottery apart from
the steatite micro-beads, and a few beads of shell,
amazonite and carnelian; terracotta beads, pellets and
pottery discs recovered from Loteshwar. A few copper
wires and a large number of lithic blade tools and
debitage are also part of the assemblage. The lithic
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
debitage and the tools recovered from the site do
not reveal any evidence of the application of crested
ridge technique in the blade production. Probably
the early Chalcolithic community at Loteshwar was
not acquainted with this technique. The assemblage
also had oval and square shaped terracotta lumps and
a small terracotta animal gure (Figure 24). A female
figurine measuring hardly 5cm is reported from the
Anarta assemblage at Nagwada (Figure 25). Decorated
with steatite beads, this gurine is quite dierent from
those found in the Classical Harappan context. Simple
and minimalistic modelling style of this female gure
bespeaks the individuality of the Anarta tradition.
It is apparent that the Anarta tradition continued
to survive even after the Mature/Urban Phase of the
Harappa culture. In many of the sites in the region the
Anarta pottery is found associated with the so called
"Late Harappan" pottery belonging to the Period-
IIB and Period-IIC of the Rangpur sequence. It is
also found associated with the Post-Urban Harappan
context indicating a long period, spanning from
3600 B.C. to c. 1700 B.C. The pottery tradition
goes through perceptible changes during this long
period of time. For example, the Fine Red ware and
the Burnished Red ware with bichrome decoration
are found only in the early stages and associated with
the Mature Phase of the Harappa culture. Similarly,
the use of white pigment for painting and as a
background also disappeared in the later period. e
scheme of yellowish slip and yellow as background
colour however survived in the Sorath Harappan
pottery tradition. Similarly, the Burnished Grey ware
continued even in the later period but, new vessel
forms were adopted. Generally, the Gritty Red ware
with simple painted decoration is the only type of
Anarta pottery present in the later period sites.
The Anarta Pottery and the Chalcolithic
Burials of North Gujarat
A new dimension to the regional Chalcolithic
tradition is added with the discovery of Anarta pottery
in association with the Earl Harappan/Chalcolithic
Figure 26 Early Harappan pot-burial in Nagwada
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Figure 27 Early Harappan pottery from the Nagwada-I burials: -, -, , - Red ware ( bichrome painting); and
Grey ware; Bu ware (-, , , - from pot-burial, - from extended burial)
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
burials of North Gujarat. is interesting evidence for
understanding the Chalcolithic/Harappan society of
North Gujarat was rst brought to light from the two
extended inhumation burials and three pot-burials
unearthed (Figure 26) at Nagwada in the late 1980's
(Hegde et al., 1988: 58-59). The burials invariably
contained pottery as burial good interred in the grave.
e potteries that are found in these two burial types
are similar, even though the number of vessels in each
burial varied considerably. Red ware, a pinkish Buff
ware and Grey ware are the three important pottery
types found in these burials (Figure 27). They are
distinct from the Harappan pottery and the non-
Harappan, Anarta pottery types and are not found
in the regular habitation layers at the site. The clay
used in their production was well elutriated and the
vessels were slipped and painted even though the
slip and painting had almost completely peeled off.
Characteristic shapes in the burial pottery are a large
bulbous pot, asks or beaker-shaped vases with sides
converging into a rather narrow opening, beakers with
slightly flaring rim, dish-on-stand, the dish with no
carination and shallow bowls. The large bulbous pot
has a narrow at base, a short and straight neck and a
at rim. It is painted at the rim and sometime up to
the neck with thick dark bands and at the shoulder
with horizontal and wavy lines. A stylized pipal leaf
motif on one of the large pots is also noteworthy
(Figure 27.1).
The shapes and the decorations of the burial
pottery do not resemble the shape and decoration of
the Urban Harappan pottery; rather they resemble
similar vessels from the Early Harappan levels at
Kot Diji (Khan 1965), Amri (Casal 1964: Figure
62), and Balakot (Dales 1974, Frank-Vogt 1997,
Possehl 2006). Besides, similar pot-burials were
found in association with Pre-Urban Harappan sites
at Nal and Damb Bhuti (Piggott 1952). Analogous
pottery types have also been reported from the pot-
burials unearthed from the cemetery at Surkotada
by Joshi (1972) suggesting very clearly the spread of
the tradition towards the north into Kachchh. Joshi
(1990) has compared the pottery from the burials with
the Pre-Urban/Early Harappan pottery of Sindh and
Balochistan.
Further exploration in the region in the early
1990’s revealed eight more sites that incorporated
the Early Harappan burial pottery types in their
assemblage (Figure 31). In fact, the geographical
spread of the Early Harappan burial pottery is found
coterminous with the spread of the Anarta pottery
tradition in the region (Sonawane and Ajithprasad
1994, Ajithprasad 2002). Excavations at two of the
above sites, Moti-Pipli in 1993 (IAR-1992-93) and
Santhli in 1994 (IAR-1993-94), in Banaskantha (now
Patan) district, have revealed further details of the
Chalcolithic community who had buried the dead
with the pots (Majumdar 2001). Of the two extended
burials excavated at Santhli, one is a joint/double
burial with ve distinct vessels similar to those found
in the Nagwada burials. However, no substantial
habitation deposit of the Chalcolithic community
is reported from the site. This is a feature which is
common to most of the above sites in North Gujarat.
Moti-Pipli, on the other hand, showed a substantial
(about 1.00 m) habitation deposit even though no
burials were unearthed in the excavation. e site not
only has all the already reported `Early Harappan
burial pottery' types in the habitation levels but also
several new shapes (Figures 28 and 29) which are
analogous to the Early-Harappan vessels from Kot
Diji, Balakot and other sites in Sindh and Baluchistan.
The Early Harappan strata at these sites have been
dated from the middle of the fourth millennium
B.C. to the first half of the third millennium B.C.
(Possehl 1994). is evidence has important historical
significance in understanding the movement of early
Chalcolithic cultures as it suggests that, the Pre-Urban
Harappan settlements of Sindh and Baluchistan
extended further southwards into the northwestern
part of Gujarat during this period (Hegde et al., 1988,
Majumdar and Sonawane 1996-97, Possehl 2006).
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
Figure 28 e Early Harappan pottery from Motipipli in North Gujarat: -, Red ware; and Bu ware; - Anarta
Red ware ( dark brown slip, Bichrome painting, - cream slip)
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
Figure 29 Motipipli, the Early Harappan (, , -) and Anarta pottery (, -): , , , , , Fine Red ware; , , ,
Gritty Red ware; , , , Bu ware (, , , , , bichrome; and dark brown slip)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
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Geographical Extension and Cultural
Aliation
In order to ascertain the regional character of the non-
Harappan Anarta pottery tradition, it is also necessary
to trace the geographical extension and assess their
relative abundance in the Chalcolithic settlements of
North Gujarat. The ceramic assemblages of 62 sites
among the hundred sites so far located in this region
are found to incorporate the Anarta pottery types (see
Appendix). However, the relative abundance of the
Anarta pottery in these assemblages varied considerably
(Figure 30). The chart shows the distribution of
Anarta pottery from the sites in the Rupen estuary.
Sites situated further northwest in Banaskantha district
were discovered later and their systematic classication
is not included in the chart.
In some of the sites such as Choterio timbo
and Loteshwar-I, the Anarta pottery is the most
predominant pottery if not the only one. However,
in the majority of sites it varied from 20 to 60%
and in a few sites its presence is less than 10% of the
total collection. Sites, which incorporated the Anarta
pottery 10% and above are designated as affiliated
to the Anarta tradition (Mahida 1992). On the basis
of the above criteria two distinct cultural contexts
to which the Anarta pottery is associated with can
be identified: (a) independently in the Pre-Urban
Harappan context and (b) affiliated to the Urban
Harappan and later context which can be further
classified corresponding to the fourfold Rangpur
sequence of S. R.Rao (1963). The cultural affiliation
and the distribution of sites in different periods of
occupation are shown in the Figure 31.
In the Pre-Urban Harappan context, the Anarta
pottery is found independently at least in four sites: at
Loteshwar-I, Choterio timbo (Munjpur), Go-khijadio
timbo (Munjpur) and at Santhli-I. e rst three sites
are located along the banks of the Khari stream, a
small tributary of the Rupen, within a distance of one
to three kilometres. Santhli-I, on the other hand, is
situated about 60 km northwest of Loteshwar. Another
rich assemblage of the Anarta pottery is found at
Naeka, about 8 km northwest of Loteshwar. Similarly,
Moti-Pipli, about 6km southwest of Santhli-I, and
Santhli-II also show a large number of Anarta pottery
in association with the Early Harappan Sindh related
pottery which, are similar to those found in the burials
at Nagwada. In the Urban Harappan and later context,
the regional pottery is associated with dierent Phases
of the Harappa culture, starting from the Mature
Phase. As has been mentioned earlier, the Harappan
ceramics from these sites are classified according to
Figure 30 Relative abundance of the Anarta and the Harappan pottery in North Gujarat sites
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
the Rangpur Period IIA, IIB, IIC and Period III (Rao
1963: 59-137) and Rojdi Period- A, B and C (Possehl
and Herman 1990, Herman 1989) classification.
However, it became abundantly clear in the course of
the study that, an over-simplied classication of sites
following the above schemes is not feasible in the case
of North Gujarat, as there are many sites in this region
which show the beginning of occupation during the
Rangpur IIC Period and continued to be occupied
during the succeeding Post-Urban Harappan Period
marked by the Lustrous Red ware.
Sites affiliated to the Anarta tradition and the
Mature Harappan together are few and far between in
North Gujarat. Nagwada-I is the most important site
of this category showing predominance of the Anarta
pottery associated with all the Classical Harappan
Figure 31 Locations of Chalcolithic sites in North Gujarat showing their cultural aliation
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
remains. Other sites like Zekhada and Nagwada-IV
can also be included in this category although they
incorporate only a few type-fossils of the Mature
Phase. Similarly, only very few sites show the Anarta
pottery affiliated with the Urban Phase Sorath
Harappan pottery of the Rangpur IIB or the Rojdi
A&B types (Figure 31). In many sites, the Anarta
pottery is associated either with the Rangpur IIC or
with the assemblages incorporating both Rangpur IIC
and III Period pottery. 26 sites in the region belong to
this category. And, only in 5 sites the Anarta pottery is
associated with the Post-Urban Rangpur III elements.
However, in these Post-Urban sites the Anarta pottery
is represented by less than 10%. It is, therefore, clear
that the Anarta tradition had an independent origin
and existence, but became an important component
in the Harappan settlements of North Gujarat during
the Mature and the early phase of the Post-Urban
Harappan or the so called 'Late Harappan' period.
e tradition, however, started losing its ground in the
Post-Urban Phase of the Harappa culture.
Settlement Pattern
Chalcolithic sites in North Gujarat are located not
very far away from the eastern margin of the Little
Rann of Kachchh. In fact, some of them are located
on all along the edge of the Rann. Almost all of them
are situated at the top of fossil sand-dunes which
form gentle natural eminences in an otherwise flat
landscape. In the vicinity of these Chalcolithic sites
are found a number of Mesolithic sites. Sometimes,
the same site was occupied successively by both the
Mesolithic and the Chalcolithic communities. Close
to the eastern margin of the Rann the Mesolithic
sites are sparsely scattered. As one moves east towards
Harij and further, the Mesolithic sites outnumber the
Chalcolithic ones. It may be noted that the western
alluvial plain gradually merges with the rugged and
severely undulating topography further east of Harij.
is eastern rugged land is more thickly vegetated than
the western part and was inhabited by the Mesolithic
hunter-gatherers for a long time before the Harappans
came in the scene. Mesolithic sites in this area are rich
in microlithic artefacts and show substantial habitation
deposits. The two major excavated Mesolithic sites,
Langhnaj in the southeast of Loteshwar in Mehsana
district and Bagor, further northeast in southern
Rajasthan, are located within this geographic context.
These two sites have illustrated some good evidence
of Mesolithic – Chalcolithic interaction that was
going on in the region (Misra 1973, Sankalia 1965).
Nevertheless, it seems the Harappan peasants had
penetrated probably not much further east of Harij.
It is obvious that the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and
the Harappan agriculturalists coexisted in the region
exploiting the same echo-niche for a long period
of time. Probably, in due course of time, these two
communities may have had a symbiotic existence;
details of which remains to be investigated properly
(Possehl and Kennedy 1979).
A feature that is been shared by many of the
Chalcolithic sites of dierent cultural aliation in this
region is their small size (see Appendix). Most of the
sites in the region measure less than 3 hectares. Many
of the sites around Loteshwar and Santhli measured
around half a hectare only. In general, the size varied
from a minimum of 0.02 hectare at Ghachi-no
bor (Munjpur) to 7.00 hectare at Bagayano timbo
(Panchasar). In fact, many of the relatively large sites
like Panchasar and Fatepura show discrete clusters of
artefacts, each one of which may be hardly a little more
than 0.10 hectare. It is possible that such clusters of
artefact concentration might have been occupational
areas separated suciently by time. Large size therefore
does not necessarily always indicate a single large
settlement. Besides, none of the settlements appears
to have a substantially thick habitation deposit either.
e excavated sites in this region have shown a deposit
varying from 0.20 m to a little more than 1.00 m.
Some of the explored sites like Dhama, Nagwada-V,
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
Jhandada-II, Varanasri etc. (see Appendix), show only
superficial deposit spreading to a small area. Such
sites might have been seasonal settlements connected
with the pastoral and agricultural activities of the
Chalcolithic community.
e surface assemblages from North Gujarat sites
do not reveal much evidence of structural remains
or the type of dwelling structures built by the early
Chalcolithic community. However, excavations at
Nagwada, Loteshwar and Santhli have revealed a few
tangible remains of the dwelling structures of the
community. Structures in the Mature Harappan Phase
at Nagwada were built of rubble stones and moulded
mud-bricks. Remains of post-holes unearthed in the
excavation would also suggest the presence of wattle
and daub structures in the early stages of habitation at
the site. Remains of clay plaster with reed impressions,
probably used for plastering the structures of wattle
and daub, belonging to the Anarta pottery tradition
pr ior to the Urban Harapp a cultu re have been
excavated from Loteshwar and Santhli. Some of the
dark and dense mud-walls and rubble stone structural
remains unearthed from Nagwada (Hedge et al.
1988) may also belong to this tradition. Remains of
similar wattle and daub circular structures are found at
Zekhada (IAR 1977-78, Momin 1983) in the Mature/
Urban Harappan Phase and at Ratanpura (IAR 1984-
85, Bhan 1989) in the Post-Urban Phase, suggesting a
long surviving tradition of circular huts.
Another important feature related to the
distribution of the sites is their location close to
the landforms which are designated as 'salty waste'.
ese are slightly low-lying, at wastelands which are
generally marshy throughout the year and partially
covered with a salt efflorescence with the onset of
summer. Although they are unsuitable for agriculture,
contiguous land around such depressions forms good
pastoral land for cattle and sheep, as they support
many types of edible grass. Fringes of these salty
wastes are generally found occupied by Chalcolithic
settlements. Sites around such depressions in the
middle course of the Rupen river and near Vaghel
show a close clustering during different periods of
Chalcolithic occupation (Figure 31). Clustering of
sites could also be seen around Korda and Jhandada,
on either side of a very large natural depression locally
known as Sandher. Besides these, a similar pattern
of site dstribution is observed in the margins of the
eastward extension of the depression which connects
the Great and the Little Rann. It should also be noted
that many of these depressions retain potable water
till the months of December and January and become
brackish only with the onset of summer. In the light of
considerable silting that had been happening in many
of the rivers in the region, it is also possible that these
depressions might have been a little more deep and
retained potable water a little longer than today during
the 4th and 3rd millennium BCE.
Agricultural and cattle breeding must have been
the two important components of the subsistence
activity of the Chalcolithic community in the region.
Nevertheless, none of the sites in the region have
yielded direct evidence of grain cultivation. e large
faunal collection from the sites included skeletal
remains of wild animals like gazelle (Gazalla sp.),
blackbuck (Antelope sp.), sambar (Cervus sp.), nilgai
(Boselaphas tragocamelus), chital (Axis axix), wild boar
(Sus scrofa) etc. associated with the remains of the
domesticated cattle (Bos indicus), sheep (Ovis sp.) and
goat (Capra sp.). It also included the remains of aquatic
fauna like sh and turtle. A large collection of cattle
and sheep/goat bones recovered from the excavated
and explored sites may indicate the importance of
these animals in the economy of the Chalcolithic
settlements in this region. Cattle bones constituted
about 70% followed by sheep/goat bones represented
by 20% of the total collection from different sites
in the region (Patel 1989, Pratapachandran 1984,
Subbarao 1984, Battacharya 1981). Besides the natural
grass, to a certain extent, cattle population is known to
depend on the by-products of agricultural production.
In fact, even at present, pastoralism is an important
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
occupation of a section of the agrarian population in
North Gujarat.
The surface spread of the artefacts, the thickness
of habitation deposit and the presence of durable
structures are considered indices of the size, intensity
and duration of occupation at a site, apart from its
economic status. The habitation features of North
Gujarat sites do not indicate the presence of a large
site in the region; nor do they indicate prolonged
occupation at any of the sites. The features, in fact,
indicate that almost all the sites were dependent
on subsistence farming and stock raising rather
than a surplus economy. In a region that had been
continuously fraught with poor soil and low rainfall,
development of large settlements based on surplus
agricultural products would have been dicult, unless
they depend on production of some such industrial
craft products that can be traded and exchanged far
and wide, which would have brought in the necessary
economic stability. Incidentally, Nagwada was a rural
centre for the production of semiprecious stone beads,
steatite beads and shell ornaments during the Mature
Phase of the Harappa culture (Hegde et al. 1988).
Consequently, the economic stability and wellbeing of
the settlement are reected on the large structures of
both mud-bricks and rubble stones unearthed at the
site.
It can be summarized that, the economic activities
of the Chalcolithic peasant communities of North
Gujarat had been delimited by severe geographical
and environmental constraints. The nature and
distribution pattern of the sites in the region may
therefore, be viewed as a reflection of the strategies
adopted to overcome these constraints. It appears that
the prolonged occupation at a site was inuenced by
at least three major factors: (a) easy access to constant
source of potable water, (b) a good, fertile agricultural
field around the settlements and (c) the presence of
good grasslands for livestock rising. A negative shift
in any one of these factors would have adversely
affected the economic equilibrium resulting into
either abandoning the site or shifting off a part of
the population into a more favourable location as it
happens today.
Summary
The picture that emerges from the foregoing is
that there seems to be two groups of pottery either
associated with or aliated to the Harappa culture in
North Gujarat. These two are represented by (a) the
Anarta group of pottery and (b) the Early Harappan
group of pottery primarily confined to the burials.
Both of these had an existence prior to the beginning
of the Urban Harappa culture in the region and dated
to a period at the very beginning of or even earlier
than the 3rd millennium BCE. e burial pottery has
a limited distribution and their origin can be traced
into the Pre-Urban/Early Harappan cultures of Sindh
and Balochistan. However, the mechanism of their
expansion into Gujarat has not been satisfactorily
explained. A study of this burial pottery together with
the skeletal features of the human beings represented
in the burials is expected to throw much light on
the social structure of the Harappan Chalcolithic
community in Gujarat.
e Anarta pottery tradition, on the other hand, is
more widely spread both in time and space. Although
a remote generic resemblance with certain features
of the Pre-Urban Harappan pottery traditions of
Sindh and Rajasthan has been alluded to, nothing
concrete can be said about its origin. e pottery had
an independent existence in North Gujarat prior to
the beginning of Urban Harappa culture. A few more
regional Pre-Urban Harappan ceramic traditions
contemporary to the Anarta have been reported from
Prabhas Patan and Padri in the Saurashtra coast. It
can, therefore, be suggested that different regional
ceramic traditions, like the Anarta tradition along with
the Pre-Prabhas and the Padri assemblage, formed part
of the Pre-Urban Harappan cultural mosaic during
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
the fourth and the early third millennium BCE in
Western India. Rooted firmly in North Gujarat, the
Anarta pottery tradition constitutes an important
socio-economic group in the integrated Harappan
society during the Mature and the later Phase of the
Harappa culture in Gujarat. The tradition, however,
asserts itself only when the strong urban ethos of the
Harappa culture started declining towards the end of
the Mature/Urban Phase, and during the period that
immediately followed the Mature Harappan.
Acknowledgements
A short form of this paper was originally presented
in a seminar on Gujarat Harappans held at Deccan
College, Pune, in 1993 and was subsequently
submitted for publication. For reasons beyond the
control of the authors the paper however remained
unpublished since then. Our understanding of the
Harappan/Chalcolithic cultural scene in Gujarat
has undergone dramatic changes since then with
several new excavations. e new studies have in fact
validated the core ideas expressed in the paper. The
paper is updated by adding new data and references.
The authors are thankful to Professor T. Osada and
other members of the Indus Project of the Research
Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan,
for their continued cooperation for the Harappan
research in Gujarat. e primary data presented here
are collected in a series of exploratory surveys and
excavations carried in North Gujarat in the late 1980's
and early 1990's. e authors have received help and
support from several colleagues in the Department of
Archaeology and the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) – Prof. V.S. Parekh, Prof. K.K Bhan, Prof. K.
Krishnan and Prakash Chaudary, and Dr. R. S. Bisht,
former Joint Director General (ASI), New Delhi –
at different stages of the study. We are thankful to
Miss. Bhamini Mahida, currently Curator at the Surat
Museum, Gujarat, for classification of the ceramic
collection from North Gujarat sites.
The archaeological research in North Gujarat
leading to this paper was supported by the Ford
Foundation through a Research Grant to the
Department of Archaeology, the M.S. University of
Baroda. Thanks are also due to the "Indus Project"
of the RIHN, Kyoto, Japan for providing financial
support for resurveying the sites and updating the list
of sites by correcting the geo-coordinates recorded by
GPS.
Notes
1) Recent excavations at Bagasra (Sonawane et al. 2003) in
the northeastern tip of Saurashtra in Rajkot district and
Kanmer (Kharakwal et al. 2008) and the ongoing M.S.
University excavations at Shikarpur in the eastern margin of
Kachchh district bordering North Gujarat have also revealed
the Anarta pottery from the early layers onwards showing a
wider geographical extension of the tradition than what had
earlier been thought of.
2) Potteries quite similar to the Anarta pottery are reported
in the recent studies from Baror in Rajasthan (Urmila et al.
2005), and Bhirrana (Rao et al. 2005) and Girawad (Shinde
et al. 2008) in Haryana. Certain amount of similarity in the
scheme and pattern of paintings and the choice of colours
with the Anarta pottery are apparent in the Ravi Phase
pottery reported from the excavations at Harappa (Kenoyer
and Meadow 2000). ese would conrm our position that
the Pre-Urban Harappan societies of North Gujarat and that
of the Indus and the Ghaggar – Sarasvati basins had several
shared and common cultural traits reected in their material
remains.
3) A series of subsequent AMS estimation of samples
collected from the Mesolithic and the Chalcolithic levels
at the site has confirmed the 3600 BCE date of Anarta
Chalcolithic. The new series of dates has shown that the
beginning of Mesolithic at the site goes back to 7000 BCE
(Patel 2008). is is one of the earliest dates for Mesolithic
occupation in Western India. See Patel A.K (2008, 2009)
for detailed discussion on dating and related issues regarding
the Mesolithic and Chalcolithic habitation remains at
Loteshwar.
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
4) Systematic study of the faunal remains from the site
recently has brought to light the importance of faunal
collection from the site in understanding the beginning of
farming communities in region. Specially, important are
the presence of a few wild cattle bones in the Mesolithic
strata followed by the domesticated cattle bones in the
Chalcolithic layers. e study has argued that North Gujarat
is a potential region for investigating localized beginning
of cattle pastoralism (Patel 2009). The high abundance of
blackbuck bones in the Mesolithic fauna would suggest a
preference for hunting this animal.And, this should be seen
as an adaptive strategy of the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers
in articulation with expanding food base during the early
half of the Holocene. In the light of all these, it is necessary
to investigate dierent modules of environmental resource
management by the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers that would
allow expansion of resource base for intensive food gathering
and eventually the emergence of farming in the region.
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- -
Appendix: List of Chalcolithic/Harappan Sites in North Gujarat
1
No. Site Name2Coordinates Viillage Taluka,
District
Size (m)
Ha. Period/Culture Bibliography, Source
1 Genghdaumdo 23°49'35.1"N
71°21'28.6"E Bambnoli Santalpur,
Patan
30×20
0.06 Anarta3, RGP4 IIC IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
2 Ori no umdo 23°50'04.2"N
71°07'55.6"E Barara Santalpur,
Patan
70×60
0.42
Anarta, RGP IIC, RGP
III / LRW5
IAR 1992-93: 25, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
3Gorivatano Timbo
(Bolera-I)
23°29'14.8"N
71°45'54.0"E Bolera Sami,
Patan
80×80
0.64
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW, BRW6
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 30
4Kalari no Timbo
(Bolera-II)
23°30'21.2"N
71°45'43.4"E Bolera Sami,
Patan
135×100
1.35
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986:30, Bhan 1994:86-
7
5Chaniyathar no umdo
(unda Timbo)
23°43'49.9"N
71°31'01.0"E Chaniyathar Radhanpur,
Patan
120×105
1.26
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993)
6Garasyano umdo
(Charandha-I)
24°00'38.4"N
71°29'45.7"E Charandha Santalpur,
Patan
40×30
0.01 RGP IIB, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
7Kanakrialoumdo
(Charandha-II)
24°01'09.3"N
71°28'48.6"E Charandha Santalpur,
Patan
60×50
0.30
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
8Chipa no Godh
(Chhanasara-I)
23°45'20.2"N
71°16'30.0"E Chhanasara Santalpur,
Patan
120×100
1.20
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
9Ishwar ghod
(Chahanasara-II)
23°45'56.4"N
71°16'45.2"E Chhanasara Santalpur,
Patan
30×30
0.09 RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
10 Godha 23°40'44.6"N
71°35'50.4"E Dadka Sami,
Patan
55×67
0.37 RGP III / LRW
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993)
11 Vokda-no umdo 23°50'20.4"N
71°19'27.6"E Daldi Santalpur,
Patan
50×40
0.20
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1992-93: 26, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
12 Godhiyano Timbo 23°30'10"N
71°53'30"E Dantisana Sami,
Patan
100×100
1.00 RGP III / LRW
Hegde and Sonawane 1986: 30,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993)
13 Datrana IX
(Randia no umdo)
23°47'03.6"N
71°08'08.7"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
9×6
0.005 RGP IIC IAR 1994-95: 18
14 Datrana X
(Vanta no umdo)
23°45'46.0"N
71°06'28.5"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
22×17
0.038
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC IAR 1994-95: 18
15 Datrana-I
(Ghorapir nu Khetar)
23°46'48.2"N
71°07'53.4"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
90×70
0.63
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
Notes
) e list was originally compiled in and was updated periodically as and when new sites were located in subsequent
surveys. In March we completed a resurvey of North Gujarat Harappan sites in collaboration with the "Indus Project"
of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan; and were able to revisit most of the sites and record their
correct geo-coordinates using GPS. e site list refers corrected GPS co-ordinates, except for a few sites which we were not
able to trace.We have also tried to avoid repetition of same site in dierent names in the list, as it often happens due to
variations in recording vernacular names by dierent researchers, by cross checking with published and unpublished records
available to us. e list is sorted in the ascending order of village names rather than the site names. We think this would
enable readers to quickly refer the number and types of sites that are found in and around a village.) Names in parenthesis
are additional/alternate names of the same site.
) Anarta refers to the Anarta pottery tradition of North Gujarat.
) RGP IIB, RGP IIC and RGP III refer to the Rangpur Period IIB, Period IIC and Period III respectively of the Rangpur
sequence.
) LRW refers to the Lustrous Red ware pottery.
) BRW refers to the Black and Red ware pottery.
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
No. Site Name Coordinates Viillage Taluka,
District
Size (m)
Ha. Period/Culture Bibliography, Source
16
Datrana-II
(Haren umdo,
Ravaichi mata)
23°46'52.4"N
71°07'33.5"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
80×70
0.56
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW, Microliths7
IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993)
Excavation in 1995
17 Datrana-III 23°46'51.6"N
71°07'55.9"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
20×20
0.04
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW, Microliths
IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
18
Datrana-IV
(Hadkawala Timbo,
Vadkiwalu khetar-II)
23°46'14.7"N
71°07'26.2"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
700×500
35.00
Mesolithic8/ microliths,
Anarta, Early
Harappan9, Pre-Prabhas
IAR 1992-93: 26, Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993)
Excavtion in 1994, 1995, 2010
19
Datrana-V
(Patel no Khetar,
Vadkiwalu khetar-I)
23°46'12.6"N
71°07'25.5"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
100×70
0.70
Mesolithic / microliths,
Anarta, Pre Prahbas
IAR 1992-93: 26, Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993);
Excavation in 1995
20 Datrana-VI 23°46'50.5"N
71°07'55.9"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
15×10
0.02
Anarta, RGP IIC,
Microliths,
IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
21 Datrana-VII 23°46'52.1"N
71°07'55.8"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
20×15
0.30
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
22 Datrana-VIII 23°46'51.7"N
71°07'57.6"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
40×30
0.12
Mesolithic / microliths,
RGP IIC, RGP III
IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
23 Datrana IX
(Sutaria no umdo)
23°45'59.6"N
71°07'21.5"E Datrana Santalpur,
Patan
95×65
0.62
Early Harappan, Pre-
Prabhas Survey 2010 (NoGAP)
24 Ganario no umdo
(Dehisar-I)
23°55'31.6"N
71°30'23.5"E Dehisar Santalpur,
Patan
60×40
0.24
Mesolithic / microliths,
Anarta
IAR 1992-93: 26, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
25 Haiduk no umdo
(Dehisar-II)
23°55'20"N
71°30'20"E Dehisar Santalpur,
Patan
60×40
0.24 RGP III / LRW IAR 1993-94: 32,
26 Dhama-ni Timbo 23°23'56.8"N
71°39'33.9"E Dhama Dasada,
Surendranagar
10×10
0.01
Anarta, RGP IIC,
BRW, Microliths
Bhan 1994: 86-7, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
27 Dhanora Timbo
(Deriwalu Khetar -I)
23°30'24.7"N
71°55'28.8"E Dhanora Dasada,
Surendranagar
85×65
0.55
RGP IIC, RGPIII,
BRW, Microliths
Hegde and Sonawane 1986: 30,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993)
28 Kachha no Timbo 23°59'05.4"N
71°20'17.6"E Dudasan Vav,
Banaskantha
10×10
0.01
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
29 Sai Timbo 23°37'59.1"N
71°41'09.3"E Dudkha Sami,
Patan
150×100
1.50
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC, RGP III / LRW
IAR 1978-79: 6-7, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
30 Janoyano Timbo
(Erwada-I)
23°25'31.1"N
71°51'37.9"E Erwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
80×60
0.48
Mesolithic / microliths,
RGP III / LRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986:31, Bhan 1994:
86-7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993)
31 Mataji-no Timbo
(Erwada-II)
23°25'35"N
71°51'50"E Erwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
100×100
1.00 RGP III / LRW, BRW
IAR 1982 83, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 31, Bhan 1994:
86-7
32 Ranol-no Tekro
(Ranolno Ghod)
23°23'49.9"N
71°38'37.1"E Fatepura Dasada,
Surendranagar
200×200
4.00
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1984-85:19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
33 Kachha no umdo 23°53'08.3"N
71°24'41.4"E Gadha Santalpur,
Patan
10×10
0.01
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site List 1993)
34 Timbo-I
(Godhana-I)
23°42'56.7"N
71°36'34.0"E Godhana Sami,
Patan
93×77
0.72
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
87, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
35 Timbo-II
(Godhana-II)
23°43'05.2"N
71°36'41.9"E Godhana Sami,
Patan
93×68
0.63 RGP III / LRW
IAR 1991-92: 20, Bhan 1994:
86-87,Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993)
36 Inderwa no Timbo-I
(Inderwa-I)
24°00'20.0"N
71°29'30.4"E Inderwa Bhabhar,
Banaskantha
80×50
0.40
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1992-93: 19, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
37 Inderwa no Timbo-II
(Inderwa-II)
24°00'10.0"N
71°29'11.2"E Inderwa Bhabhar,
Banaskantha
50×30
0.15
Mesolithic / microliths,
RGP IIC
IAR 1992-93: 19, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
38 Indranagar no umdo 23°54'38.3"N
71°34'48.8"E Indranagar Radhanpur,
Patan
20×10
0.02 RGP IIB, RGP IIC IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
39 Sankatrawalo umdo 23°53'45.6"N
71°19'53.4"E Jamwada Santalpur,
Patan
60×50
0.30
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1992-93: 25, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
40 Javantri 23°54'30"N
71°33'30"E Javantri Radhanpur,
Patan
20×10
0.20 Anarta, RGP IIC IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
) Microliths at the end of the sequence refers to the micro-blade artefacts found with Chalcolithic remains.
8) Mesolithic/microliths in the beginning of the sequence refer to the possible Mesolithic substratum at the site.
9) Early Harappan refer to the Early Harappan Sindh type pottery reported from the burials at Nagwada and Santhli.
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
No. Site Name Coordinates Viillage Taluka,
District
Size (m)
Ha. Period/Culture Bibliography, Source
41 Soont no Timbo 23°56'12.1"N
71°19'37.1"E Jhajham Santalpur,
Patan
20×15
0.30 Anarta, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 25, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
42 Bhamaria umdo
(Jhandada-III)
23°54'02.1"N
71°27'01.0"E Jhandada Santalpur,
Patan
36×22
0.79
Early Harappan, RGP
IIC
IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
43 Jhandada no umdo-I
(Jhandada-I)
23°54'25.0"N
71°27'17.4"E Jhandada Santalpur,
Patan
100×80
0.80
Anarta, RGP IIC, RGP
III / LRW
IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
44 Jhandada no umdo-II
(Jhandada-II)
23°54'10.4"N
71°26'21.8"E Jhandada Santalpur,
Patan
10×10
0.01
Anarta, RGP IIC,
microliths
IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
45 umba Timbo 23°48'41.4"N
71°27'17.2"E Jorawargadh Santalpur,
Patan
47×36
0.17 Anarta Survey 2010 (NoGAP)
46 ikariya no Timbo 23°31'13.2"N
71°45'06.1"E Khandia Sami,
Patan
240×120
2.88
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
III
Hegde and Soanawane 1986: 30,
Bhan 1994:86-7, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
47 Bajaniyano umdo
(Koliwada-III)
23°49'54.8"N
71°29'27.8"E Koliwada Radhanpur,
Patan
40×30
0.12
Mesolithic / microliths,
Early Harappan
IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
48 Patel no Khetar
(Koliwada-I)
23°49'45.5"N
71°29'42.4"E Koliwada Santalpur,
Patan
40×40
0.16 Anarta, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993),
49 Shiharu no umdo
(Koliwada-II)
23°50'30.2"N
71°29'58.4"E Koliwada Santalpur,
Patan
100×30
0.30 Anarta, RGP IIC IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
50 Harharino umda
(Hariharno umda)
23°53'00.0"N
71°23'15.8"E Korda Santalpur,
Patan
80×70
0.56
Mesolithic / microliths,
Anarta, RGP IIC
IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
51 Bhalibhai no Timbo
Bhalbhai no Timbo
23°32'26.9"N
71°36'30.2"E Kunwar Sami,
Patan
160×90
1.44 RGP III / LRW, BRW
IAR 1978 79: 6-7, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
52 Piriya no Timbo
(Kunward-II)
23°31'40.1"N
71°51'20.2"E Kunward Sami,
Patan
140×100
1.40
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986:30, Bhan1994:86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
53 Sasiya no Timbo -I
(Kunward-I)
23°32'31.6"N
71°52'20.4"E Kunward Sami,
Patan
150×150
2.25
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane1986: 30, Bhan 1994:
86-7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993)
54 Limbadkaumdo 23°53'40.5"N
71°30'48.7"E Limbadka Radhanpur,
Patan
60×50
0.30 Anarta, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
55 Limbuni no Ghod
(Suigam -I)
24°08'27.4 "N
71°21'54.0"E Limbuni Vav,
Banaskantha
30×30
0.09 RBP IIC, Microliths IAR 1993-94: 33, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
56 Lolara
(Lolada)
23°32'28.9"N
71°41'44.5"E Lolara Sami,
Patan Anarta, RGP IIC
IAR 1978 79: 6-7, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
57 Loteshwar-I
(Khari no Timbo-I)
23°36'01.8"N
71°50'11.8"E Loteshwar Sami,
Patan
135×135
1.82
Mesolithic / microliths,
Anarta
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 30, Bhan 1994:
86-7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993), Excavation 1991 &
2009
58 Loteshwar-II
(Odherio Timbo)
23°36'08.6"N
71°49'11.6"E Loteshwar Sami,
Patan
150×100
1.50 Anarta, RGP IIC
IAR 1990-91: 17, Bhan 1994:86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
59 Valivada no Timbo
(Vadadi no Timbo)
23°33'38.2"N
71°53'41.7"E Manverpura Sami,
Patan
100×50
0.50 RGP III / LRW, BRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986:30, Bhan 1994:86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
60 Kanthoda no umdo
(Mathutra -III)
23°44'27.4"N
71°06'05.3"E Mathutra Santalpur,
Patan
14×12
0.013 RGP IIB, RGPIIC IAR 1994-95: 18
61 Madhvya no Timbo
(Mathutra -I)
23°44'42.7"N
71°05'23.1"E Mathutra Santalpur,
Patan
40×30
0.12 Early Harappan IAR 1992-93: 25, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
62 Pagiyawala no umdo
(Mathutra -IV)
23°44'47.4"N
71°06'31.6"E Mathutra Santalpur,
Patan
11×7
0.008 RGP IIB, RGP IIC IAR 1994-95: 18
63 Talavadi no umdo
(Mathutra -V)
23 44'32.6"N
71 07'11.9"E Mathutra Santalpur,
Patan
8×7
0.006 RGP IIC IAR 1994-95: 18
64 Vaditalavdi no umdo
(Mathutra -II)
23°44'02.1"N
71°06'20.2"E Mathutra Santalpur,
Patan
10×8
0.008
RGP IIB, Early
Harappan IAR 1994-95: 18
65 Gomsar no Timbo 23°16'22.8"N
71°41'14.6"E Mithagoda Dasada,
Surendranagar
250×200
5.00
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC, Microliths
Bhan 1994: 86-7, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
66 Solariya Timbo 23°16'41.8"N
71°42'04.2"E Mithagoda Dasada,
Surendranagar
162×102
1.65
Anarta, Classical
Harappan, BRW,
Microliths,
Survey 2010 (GHSGP)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
No. Site Name Coordinates Viillage Taluka,
District
Size (m)
Ha. Period/Culture Bibliography, Source
67 Moti Pipli
(Shakatri Timbo)
23°49'24.9"N
71°30'01.8"E Moti-Pipli Radhanpur,
Patan
255×120
3.06
Anarta, Early
Harappan, Classical
Harappan
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993), Excavation in 1993
68 Barvadno Timbo 23°33'54.4"N
71°51'30.02"E Munjpur Sami,
Patan
70×65
0.46
Mesolithic / microliths,
Anarta, Medieval Survey 2010 (NoGAP)
69 Gachi no Bor
(Munjpur-II)
23°36'17.8"N
71°53'07.5"E Munjpur Sami,
Patan
20×20
0.04
Anarta, Classical
Harappan.
IAR 1990-91: 17, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
70 Gokhijadio Timbo 23°36'53.8"N
71°52'38.7"E Munjpur Sami,
Patan
100×75
0.75 Anarta
IAR 1990-91: 17, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
71 Choteria Timbo
(Munjpur-I)
23°36'05.7"N
71°51'07.3"E
Munjpur/
Mujpur
Sami,
Patan
70×45
0.32
Anarta, Classical
Harappan?.
IAR 1990-91: 17, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
72 Rajwadio Timbo-II
(Munjpur -III)
23°35'00"N
71°51'10"E
Munjpur/
Mujpur
Sami,
Patan
65×50
0.33
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1990-91: 17, Bhan 1994:86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
73 Nagwada-I
(Ghod)
23°18'38.8"N
71°42'59.6"E Nagwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
140×110
1.54
Anarta, Early Harappan
burial, Classical
Harappan
IAR 1984-85: 19, IAR 1985-
86: 20-1, Hegde et al 1988:55,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993);
Excavation 1986 to1990
74 Nagwada-II
(Bhoirawalu Ghod)
23°18'38.1"N
71°43'02.7"E Nagwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
200×150
3.00
Anarta, RGP IIC, RGP
III, BRW
IAR 1984 85:19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
75 Nagwada-III 23°18'19.7"N
71°42'38.9"E Nagwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
100×70
0.70
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW, Microliths
IAR 1985-86: 20-1, Hegde et al.
1988:55, Bhan 1994: 86-7,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993)
76 Nagwada-IV 23°17'17.7"N
71°41'45.2"E Nagwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
100×80
0.80
Anarta, Classical
Harappan.
IAR 1985-86: 20-1, Hegde et
al. 1988:55, IAR 1984 85, Bhan
1994: 86-87
77 Nagwada-V
(Mullada -II)
23°17'50"N
71°43'00"E Nagwada Dasada,
Surendranagar
30×25
0.08
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
Bhan 1994:86-7, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
78 Nani Chandur 23°35'00"N
71°37'00"E
Nani-
Chandur
Sami,
Patan
50×25
0.13
Mesolithic / microliths,
Anarta, RGP IIC
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994:86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
79 Footeriya 23°37'10.6"N
71°43'25.6"E Nayka Sami,
Patan
30×8
0.02 Anarta
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
80 Orumana 23°35'39.6"N
71°52'58.2"E Orumana Sami,
Patan
75×60
0.45 Anarta, RGP IIC
IAR 1990-91: 17, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
81 Bagayano Timbo
(Panchasar-I)
23°25'07.2"N
71°49'38.7"E Panchasar Dasada,
Surendranagar
100×100
1.00
Anarta, RGP IIC, RGP
III / LRW, Microliths
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 31, Bhan 1994:
86-7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993)
82 Duderiya Timbo
(Panchasar-II)
23°26'01.0"N
71°48'17.4"E Panchasar Sami,
Patan
60×50
0.30
Mesolithic / Microliths,
Anarta, RGP IIC,
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 31, Bhan 1994:
86-7
83 Harthar no Timbo
(Panchasar-II)
23°26'09.3"N
71°48'54.3"E Panchasar Sami,
Patan
250×200
5.00
Mesolithic, Early
Harappan, RGP IIC,
RGP III, BRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986:31, Bhan 1994:
86-7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993)
84 Oriyadada no Timbo 23°23'50.9"N
71°48'27.8"E Panva Dasada,
Surendranagar
160×160
2.56
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW, BRW, Microliths
Hegde and Sonawane 1986: 31,
Bhan 1994:86-7, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
85 Godha II 23°36'00"N
71°28'00"E Pati Santalpur,
Patan
70×60
0.42 RGP IIB, RGP IIC
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
86 Pirojpur 23°30'44.8"N
71°42'09.8"E Pirojpur Dasada,
Surendranagar
50×50
0.25 RGP III / LRW
IAR 1978 79: 6-7, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
87 Jamathar no umdo 23°45'24.3"N
71°13'58.4"E Rajusar Santalpur,
Patan
100×100
1.00 RGP IIB, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
88 Lavanano Godh 23°50'39.6"N
71°35'13.4"E Randhanpur Radhanpur,
Patan
70×60
0.42 Anarta, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane
- -
No. Site Name Coordinates Viillage Taluka,
District
Size (m)
Ha. Period/Culture Bibliography, Source
89 Lakahar no umdo 23°46'05.3"N
71°08'40.2"E Ranmalpura Santalpur,
Patan
13×9
0.121 RGP IIC IAR 1994-95: 18
90 Mepla no umdo
(Ranmalpura -I)
23°46'24.4"N
71°09'24.2"E Ranmalpura Santalpur,
Patan
80×60
0.48
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1992-93: 25, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
91 Moda no umdo
(Ranmalpur -III)
23°47'45.1"N
71°08'35.8"E Ranmalpura Santalpur,
Patan
65×48
0.312 Anarat, RGP IIB IAR 1994-95: 18
92 Panchahari no umdo
(Ranmalpur -II)
23°45'48.8"N
71°08'28.3"E Ranmalpura Santalpur,
Patan
12×9
0.011 RGP IIC, RGP III IAR 1994-95: 18
93 Duwala Timbo 23°32'55.6"N
71°48'58.5"E Ranod Sami,
Patan
38×25
0.095 RGP IIB, Microliths Survey 2010 (NoGAP)
94 Tokariya Timbo
(Ratanpura)
23°28'36.3"N
71°48'55.5"E Ratanpura Sami,
Patan
500×200
10.00
Mesolithic / microliths,
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW, BRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, IAR 1984-85:
17-8, Hegde and Sonawane 1986:
30, Bhan 1994: 86-7, Excavation
in 1985
95 Lakneyani umdo-I
(umda 1)
23°39'00"N
71°34'00"E Rupnagar Sami,
Patan
30×24
0.07
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
96 Santhli-I
(Santhli no umdo)
23°53'24.9"N
71°30'09.6"E Santhli Radhanpur,
Patan
90×70
0.63 Anarta IAR 1992-93: 22, , Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993)
97 Santhli-II
(Ghachiyawado)
23°54'16.7"N
71°29'37.1"E Santhli Radhanpur,
Patan
96×65
0.62
Mesolithic/microliths,
Early Harappan Burial
IAR 1993-94: 30, Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993),
Excavation in 1994
98 Santhli-III
(Vajiyasri no umdo)
23°51'27.8"N
71°28'30.2"E Santhli Radhanpur,
Patan
21×10
0.02
Mesolithic/microliths,
Anarta?
IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
99 Santhli-IV
(Navod no umbo)
23°54'36.7"N
71°28'30.6"E Santhli Radhanpur,
Patan
10×10
0.01
Mesolithic / microliths,
Ealy Harappan
IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
100 Santhli-V
(Kalatalavdi no umdo)
23°54'40.2"N
71°29'54.4"E Santhli Radhanpur,
Patan
60×50
0.30
Mesolithic / microliths,
RGP IIC
IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
101 Santhli-VI
(Haiduk no umdo-I)
23°54'30.6"N
71°29'30.8"E Santhli Radhanpur,
Patan
60×50
0.30
Mesolithic / microliths,
RGP IIC
IAR 1993-94: 32, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
102 Borawalu Khetar
(Sarwal-II)
23°42'00"N
71°51'00"E Sarwal Harij,
Patan
100×100
1.00
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1982 83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 31, Bhan 1994:
86-7
103 Khathariya no Timbo
(Sarwal-I)
23°42'15"N
71°51'20"E Sarwal Harij,
Patan
150×100
1.50
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 31, Bhan 1994:
86-7
104 Kasha no Timbo
(Kacho timbo)
23°31'14.2"N
71°39'33.6"E Sipur/Sibpur Sami,
Patan
130×120
1.56
Anarta, RGP IIC, RGP
III / LRW, Microliths,
IAR 1978-79: 7 Bhan 1994: 86-7,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993)
105 Limdavalo Timbo 23°40'56.6"N
71°45'06.7"E Sonar/Sonur Sami,
Patan
100×100
1.00 RGP III / LRW, BRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Sonawane 1986: 30, Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993)
106 Jakhra Pir no umdo
(Suigam -II)
24°09'16.4"N
71°22'12.0"E Suigam Vav,
Banaskantha
100×70
0.70
Anarta, RGP IIC,
Microliths
IAR 1993-94: 33, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
107 Khari-no Khetar
(Suneth-II)
23°58'56.6"N
71°26'00.0"E Suneth Vav,
Banaskantha
60×50
0.30 Anarta IAR 1992-93: 26, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
108 Mata no umdo
(Suneth-I)
23°58'41.6"N
71°26'8.7"E Suneth Vav,
Banaskantha
120×90
1.08
Anarta, RGP IIB, RGP
IIC
IAR 1992-93: 26, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
109 Gordhan Timbo
(Govardhaniya Timbo)
23°28'01.1"N
71°53'57.2"E Susiya Dasada,
Surendranagar
200×150
3.00 Anarta, RGP IIC, BRW
Hegde and Sonawane 1986: 31,
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list
1993), Bhan 1994: 86-7
110 Bhutawed no Godh
(Unrot-II)
23°50'40.8"N
71°29'56.7"E Unrot Santalpur,
Patan
60×50
0.30
Anarta, RGP IIC, RGP
III / LRW
IAR 1992-93: 22, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
111 Pepadia Timbo
(Unrot-I)
23°49'58.5"N
71°21'38.6"E Unrot Santalpur,
Patan
40×30
0.12 RGP IIB, RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 25, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
112 Vadgam 23°21'00"N
71°48'10"E Vadgam Dasada,
Surendranagar
100×100
1.00
RGPIIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1964-65: 11, Bhan1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
113 Veranath Timbo
(Atariyano Hanuman)
23°38'13.8"N
71°54'57.2"E Vaghel Sami,
Patan
130×120
1.56 RGP III / LRW
IAR 1982-83: 28, Hegde and
Soanawane 1986: 30, Bhan 1994:
86-7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane
(site list 1993)
114 Haji no Kachha
(Varanasri-II)
23°53'45.9"N
71°19'51.3"E Varanasri Santalpur,
Patan
70×60
0.42 Anarta, Microliths IAR 1992-93: 23, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
115 Katadia no umdo
(Varanasri-I)
23°54'48.3"N
71°20'17.4"E Varanasri Santalpur,
Patan
20×20
0.34 RGP IIC IAR 1992-93: 24, Ajithprasad and
Sonawane (site list 1993)
e Harappa Culture in North Gujarat: a Regional Paradigm
- -
e following sources are used to compile the list:
Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site list 1993): A list (unpublished) of prehistoric and Historic Period sites in North Gujarat
prepared by P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane in 1993. It lists Mesolithic, Harappan/Chalcolithic and Historic
period sites.
IAR 1978-79: Survey by C. Margabandhu and K. Raghavachari of the Archaeological Survey of India and K.T.M Hegde and A.
M akkar of the M. S. University of Baroda
IAR 1982-83: Survey by K.T.M. Hegde, V.H. Sonawane and K.N. Momin, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History,
e M.S. University of Baroda
IAR 1984-85: Survey by K.T.M. Hegde, V.H. Sonawane, and P. Ajithprasad, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History,
e M.S. University of Baroda
IAR 1990-91: Survey by V.S. Parekh, V.H. Sonawane, P. Ajithprasad and K.K. Bhan, Department of Archaeology and Ancient
History,e M.S. University of Baroda.
IAR 1991-92: Survey by V.S. Parekh, V.H. Sonawane and K.K. Bhan, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, e
M.S. University of Baroda
IAR 1992-93: Survey by V.S. Parekh, P. Ajithprasad and P.C. Chaudhary, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History,
e M.S. University of Baroda
IAR 1993-94: Survey by V.S. Parekh, V.H. Sonawane, P. Ajithprasad and P.C. Chaudhary, Department of Archaeology and
Ancient History, e M.S. University of Baroda
IAR 1994-95: Survey by V.S. Parekh, V.H. Sonawane, P. Ajithprasad and P.C. Chaudhary, Department of Archaeology and
Ancient History, e M.S. University of Baroda
Survey 2009, 2010 (NoGAP): Survey by the North Gujarat Archaeological Project (NoGAP), a collaborative research
programme between the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, e M.S. University of Baroda, India
and the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, IMF, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
Survey 2010 (GHSGP): Survey by the Gujarat Harappan Site Gazetteer Project (GHSGP), a collaborative research programme
between the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, e M.S. University of Baroda, India and the
"Indus Project" of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan
No. Site Name Coordinates Viillage Taluka,
District
Size (m)
Ha. Period/Culture Bibliography, Source
116 Kasano Relo
(Ghod, Kasna Relo
23°26'34.2"N
71°34'37.8"E Visnagar Dasada,
Surendranagar
125×125
1.56 RGP III/LRW Bhan 1994: 86-7
117 Lakhetra no Timbo
(Visnagar-I)
23°28'16.5"N
71°34'05.9"E Visnagar Dasada,
Surendranagar
62×54
0.34 RGP III / LRW
IAR 1991-92: 20, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawne (site
list 1993),
118 Linedoriwalo Khetar
(Visnagar-II)
23°27'43.9"N
71°33'47.0"E Visnagar Dasada,
Surendranagar
67×54
0.36
RGP IIC, RGP III /
LRW
IAR 1991-92: 19, Bhan 1994: 86-
7, Ajithprasad and Sonawane (site
list 1993)
119
Zekhada
(Amasrino Tekra,
Jhekhda)
23°52'40.8"N
71°27'30.6"E Zekhada Santalpur,
Patan
300×150
4.50
Anarta, Classical
Harappan.
IAR 1977-78: 20, Mehta 1982,
Momin 1983: 120, Ajithprasad
and Sonawane (site list 1993)
