Evidence of pre-historic culture in B’khand
LUCKNOW: Evidence of an ancient civilization was found during the excavations carried out at Sandvaveer in Bundelkhand region by the history department of Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (DSMNRU), Lucknow.
“The site (near Rajapur - birth place of Tulsi Das - in Chirakoot district) shows evidence of continuous settlement of ancient people - right from the pre-historic era. This excavation has been very significant in understanding the archaeology of Bundelkhand in particular, and northern India in general,” said Prof Avanish Chandra Misra, under whose guidance the exercise was carried out.
“The earliest culture at the site appears to be from the Neolithic or the New Stone Age -- the first agricultural society. This was followed by cultures from the Chalcolithic or Copper Age, the Northern Black Polished ware or the urban Iron Age. The cultures dating to that of Gupta, Kushan, Shung and Mauryan empires were also found,” said Misra.
The month-long excavation was done with the support of the state archaeology department .
Mishra gave an exhaustive presentation on the Sandavaveer excavation project. He inferred that the lines of evidence show definitive pattern of migration from Vindhya region to Ganges valley.
Archaeological remains found at the site include terracotta beads, semi precious stone, bangle, bones and charcoal.
Category wise evidences found of Neolithic Period were handmade pottery, muller, dabble, neolithic celt, sling ball and hearth. Chalcolithic Period- copper objects, bangles, post holes, hut, hearth, stone objects, arrow heads, black slipped ware and red ware, beads etc.
The university displayed the objects unearthed at the varsity’s history department on Thursday. Vice-chancellor professor Nishith Rai inaugurated the exhibition.
He emphasised that there was an imperative need to focus on original research in the domain of archaeology.
He said that carbon dating of the excavated remains would be done by the foreign experts.
“The site needs to be properly protected and based on the findings of the project, a comprehensive report and research papers should also be published in national and international journals,” he said.