Excavations

Posts on recent and historic ancient Indus excavations.

Indus Industry in Binjor, Rajasthan

More interesting discoveries at Binjor, seven kilometers from the Pakistan border in the bed of the ancient Sarasvati River. Archaeologists have "come across signs of industrial activity going back at least 4500 years," including "over 100 hearths." Concentrated industrial or craft activity at a smaller site has once again been found during the ancient Indus period.

Kalibangan

"The site Kalibangan - literally 'black bangles' - derives its name for the dense distribution of the fragments of black bangles which were found at the surface of its mounds. . ." writes Madhu Bala. "Evidence of this period consists of a citadel area over the 1.6 metre-thick early Harappan deposit in KLB-1 (the western mound of the site [Image 1]), a chessboard pattern 'lower city' in KLB-2 (the lower and larger eastern mound), and a mound full of fire altars in a much smaller mound further east (KLB-3). The citadel complex of KLB-1 is roughly a parallelogram (240 by 120 metres) divided into

The Mohenjodaro 1973 Conference

As the first Mohenjodaro Conference in 44 years just ended, it is worth looking back at the last one in 1973, when many of the same themes and concerns were raised. In hindsight, there is some evidence of impact, even if the situation at the site has continued to deteriorate and the basic issues of waterlogging, salinity and enroachment remain as acute as ever.

The Mandi Hoard

"The discovery of a rich hoard of Harappan jewelry from the village of Mandi (29-26 degrees 10' North, 77 degrees 34-35'E) in Muzzaffarnagar district, western Uttar Pradesh, has surprised the archaeological world for several reasons. First, Mandi is located to the east of the Yamuna river, and this area has been considered peripheral to the main distribution area of the Harappan civilization."

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