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Prehistoric artefacts found in Orissa,India India

Submitted by coldrum on Tuesday, 16 January 2007  Page Views: 6701

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Country: India Several artefacts belonging to the pre-historic ages have been discovered in Orissa during exploration by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The ASI combed around 85 villages as part of its survey of antiquarian remains in December.

They found scores of nicely polished artefacts like chisels, axes and idols from 38 villages, on slopes, foothills and hillocks.

'We also found some handmade pots with cord impression. The artefacts are of the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic age,' superintending archaeologist D.N. Dimri told IANS.

'The items are being examined further to determine their exact age. But from the evidence available we are sure they are from the pre-historic age,' he added.

Dimri said the settlers in the area could have been nomadic.

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"Prehistoric artefacts found in Orissa,India" | Login/Create an Account | 8 News and Comments
  
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Megalithic laterite dome unearthed at Kodiyeri by coldrum on Sunday, 23 October 2011
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Megalithic laterite dome unearthed at Kodiyeri

A laterite dome belonging to the megalithic period has been found at Kodiyeri, near Thalassery.

The dome was unearthed accidentally at a private plot of land in Karaal Street, Kodiyeri, while soil was being removed a few days ago, Kannur University Anthropology Department head S. Gregory said. The dome was discovered at one-metre depth, Dr. Gregory said.

A polished 75-centimetre-tall laterite pillar was at the centre of the semi-spherical-shaped dome with two stone benches on either side, he said.

Megalithic humans were the earliest to construct laterite domes, which were used by them for the secondary burial of certain bones of the dead, Dr. Gregory said. Some pieces of the bones and iron knives and lamp posts were found inside the dome, he said. The finds unearthed from the cave include three-legged red earthen pots and black earthen pots and lids.

Dr. Gregory and N.K. Ramesh, a former student of the Anthropology Department, collected the remains from the site.

The Document Officer from the Department of Archaeology Bala Mohanan reached the site and authenticated the finds.

Mr. Ramesh said local people recalled the finding of a similar dome in a nearby area nearly 40 years ago. Three similar domes had been found in the past at Kuttikunnu, Sreekantapuram, here and urn burials at Peringathur by P. Rajendran, archaeologist from the University of Kerala, and B. Ananda Bhanu, former head of the Anthropology Department of Kannur University.

He said evidence of megalithic cultures in India had been found for the first time by the archaeologist Babington in 1823 from a site in the erstwhile Chirakkal taluk in the district that became a landmark for evidence of megalithic culture in the State.

Dr. Gregory said the finds from the site would be transferred to the museum of the Department of Anthropology on the Kannur University's Thalassery campus at Palayad with the permission of the State Archaeology Department.

http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/21/stories/2011022156240800.htm
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Re: Archaeologists unearth 2500-yr-old city in Orissa by coldrum on Sunday, 23 October 2011
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Evidence of clan-based societies in Megalithic period


: ‘Nannangadies' (earthen burial urns) unearthed at many places throw light on the rich heritage of clan-based societies in the Megalithic period.

However, serious archaeological studies have not been taken up as such findings are unearthed accidentally by local people or farm workers, said T. Rajesh, who did extensive research on the history of Idukki district and its early settlers for his work Idukki Charithrarekhakal. In the absence of preservation steps, the urns and the metallic items found inside them have been destroyed.

Earthen burials were recently found in Amaravathy and Cheruthoni. This is in addition to such findings at Santhanpara, Chempakapara, Udumpanchola, Marayur, Adimaly, Anakkara, Thopramkudy, Murikkattukudy, Kambilikandam, Parathodu and Rajakkad, he said.

The findings are evidence to the existence of a clan-based society in the Megalithic period in the High Ranges of Idukki district. Researchers have found evidence of settlers near the rock mountains at Anappara in Anakkara village, he said. Heavy man-made granite structures (‘veerakkallu') were found at Anappara, Adayalakkallu and many other areas. Veerakkallu is a marked burial place of warriors in the pre-historic era. These urns and granite structures are the remains of one of the earliest known inhabitants and are scattered at various places, which are now facing increasing threat of destruction, he said.

The recorded history of unearthing of the first burial urn was at Chakramudy when the first survey of erstwhile Travancore was conducted by a team of the Madras Army in 1817. This was followed by many such findings at various places in the High Ranges.

Mr Rajesh said there was need to identify places of historical importance in Idukki and efforts should be taken to conserve them.

In spite of individual efforts, such findings are often destroyed owing to lack of awareness among the people. Historian Rajan Gurukkal said the burial urns were unique remains of a clan-based society and were the second burial place (where the mortal remains of a body were buried) of a chieftain or a clan leader. The furnaces near such burial sites are indicators of primitive moulding of iron metals that were excavated from inside the urns along with small earthen pots.

He said separate archaeological studies had not been taken up in the district other than the one in entire South India, including Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod. He said earthen urns with beautiful decorations are in bright colours of black and red. These are unique in its pattern and bear similarity only with the Indonesian findings. Though, burial urns had been unearthed the world over, the unique pattern of the findings in Idukki should prompt more studies, he said.

Carbon-dating shows that the burial urns represent a period from 1050 B.C. to 3 A.D. He said in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, such historical objects are protected scientifically and excavations by experts provide insight into such findings.

The Idukki district panchayat had documented the history of the district as part of its efforts to protect the cultural life and historical evidence beginning from the Megalithic period. Co-ordinator of the project E.J. Joseph said the team members travelled far and wide and it was found that the evidence of the Megalithic period faced increasing threat in the absence of effective protection over the years. It was due to the lack of serious archaeological intervention, he said.http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article1447469.ece
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Rock painting of pre-historic age discovered in Rajasthan by coldrum on Sunday, 23 October 2011
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Rock painting of pre-historic age discovered in Rajasthan

An amateur archaeologist has claimed to have discovered a rock painting stretching up to 35 kilometres of pre-historic age in the Garadha area of Bundi district.

"The rock painting stretches up to 35 kilometres, with its tail at Mandal dam, Bhilwara district and head at Banki village in Garadha area of the district," Om Prakash Sharma alias 'Kukki' said.

The painting has images of human beings, animals such as tigers, panthers, antelopes and various antique tools, Kukki said, claiming that it belongs to Masochistic period that dates back to nearly ten thousands years in Stone Age.

There are 32 sites in the rock painting and are stretching over the basin of Mangli river, he said.

Red, white, black, yellow and rarely applied green are the frequently used colours in the rock paintings, he said, adding, the rock paintings in this region date back to Chalcolethic, Neolithic, early historic and historic periods.

Kukki claims the rock paintings could perhaps be the world's longest rock painting.

But Narayan Vyas, the state project coordinator, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Bhopal, and who officially surveyed the rock painting sites, said that it could not be called as the world's longest rock painting.

Kukki, who began his hunt for ancient and antique articles as an archaeologist in late 70s, discovered coins in early stages but went to focus on discovering rock paintings only in 1995. Since then, Kukki said, he has discovered over 78 sites of rock paintings in the Garadha area of the district adjoining to Bhilwara and Chittor districts of the state.

Kukki, a grocery shop owner in Bundi, has also been documented by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Indian Rock Art and Research Centre, Nasik, and by the state archaeological department, Jaipur. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_rock-painting-of-pre-historic-age-discovered-in-rajasthan_1483184
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Ancient pre-writing on rocks found in remote TN hamlet by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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Ancient pre-writing on rocks found in remote TN hamlet

A chance visit to a remote Pudukkottai hamlet to assess the damage caused by illegal granite quarrying on an ancient protected'
archaeological site helped an Archaeological Survey of India team uncover what could be evidence of the first artistic expression of prehistoric man in this region. The cup marks' or cupules, the oldest surviving rock art, similar to those showcased in the UNESCO world heritage sites of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh, were found in a cave in a hillock in the remote Malayadipatti village, 35 km north of Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu.

"We found rock paintings and stone beds used by Jain preachers in three caves. But our greatest discovery was the cup marks, known as petroglyphs. Besides pounding on lime and iron haematite to get materials to paint on rock, early man used stone tools to carve out symbols on cave surfaces. We believe what we have found in the Malayadipatti cave is the earliest artistic and creative expression of man. And, this is the first time this is being discovered in Tamil Nadu," said Ramesh Mulimani, deputy superintending archaeologist, ASI, Chennai circle, who led a group to the caves in Pudukkottai.

Archaeological experts believe that these marks could date back to the Mesolithic culture, which ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 years ago. "But, we have to undertake a precise, scientific dating through C14 (carbon labelling) and OSL (obsidian silicon)," said Mulimani. The 400-odd cup marks etched in a natural cave in Pudukkottai and tucked away on the roof surface has been protected from changes over the past several millennia. "They could be religious or other symbolic depictions of that period," he said. The cup marks have a smooth finish and are a few millimetres deep and wide.

The team found three natural caves. One cave had a five-line inscription in ancient Brahmi script. It carried the name of an individual, Picham-piran' ( piran' meaning chief or head and so believed to be a chieftain). Two caves had a Jain stone bed in each and one had a fading rock painting on the cave wall and the other the cup marks. Known locally as samanar (Jain) padukkai (beds),' these beds were used by Jain preachers during the 3rd to 4th centuries AD. The rock painting, created probably using lime powder mixed with water, is a fading white line drawing depicting a bird and a human form.

But the cup marks, spread over 100 square feet area of the cave roof, has proved to be the most significant discovery for ASI in these parts. "Further investigations need to be undertaken to ascertain the exact nature of the marks and establish its archaeological importance," Sathyabhama Bhadreenath, superintending archaeologist, ASI, Chennai circle, told The Times of India.

The excited ASI team is now trying to get an endorsement from rock art specialists, including Robert Bednarik, the Australian expert, to confirm their findings. Bednarik, president of the International Federation of Rock Art Organisations (IFRAO), has been coordinating with the Rock Art Society of India (RASI) to attempt scientific dating of Indian rock art.

Dr. Giriraj Kumar, professor in Indian culture and rock art science, Dayalbagh Education Institute, Agra, who documented the 500 cup marks found in a cave in the Daraki Chattan region in Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh, pointed out that while the Chambal markings were in quartzite, the Pudukkottai cupules were on granite. "They give an insight into cognitive development of early humans and their cultural development," he pointed out.

"After Bhimbetka and Dhariki Chattan (Madhya Pradesh) and Hunsgi in Karnataka, the Pudukkottai cupules is an exciting find. We can confirm they are petroglyphs by stylistic comparison with our earlier findings," said Dr Adiga Sundara, a Mysore-based retired professor in ancient Indian history and epigraphy.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ancient-pre-writing-on-rocks-found-in-remote-TN-hamlet/articleshow/4302250.cms
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Cultural remains of 70,000-year-old civilisation found in Orissa by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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Cultural remains of 70,000-year-old civilisation found in Orissa

In a major breakthrough, researchers from Sambalpur University recently discovered the cultural remains of a civilisation that is supposed to be more than 70,000 years old. The discovery was made at Barpadar village in the upper Jira river of Bargarh district in Orissa.

"The site has tremendous potential for further research to unravel the Palaeolithic life in this part of the sub-continent," said the head of the research team P.K.Behera of the university’s History department.

The Palaeolithic period is the second part of the Stone Age, beginning about 750,000 to 500,000 years BC and lasting until the end of the Ice Age around 8,500 years BC.

The archaeological excavations were conducted near Barpadar village by the bank of the Jira river. The work was also assisted by Prakash Sinha of the Department of Archaeology, Allahabad Central University. The team, including history students of the university, found stone tools like axes, cleavers and scrapers at the site. The stone tools, used for food processing -- cutting, chopping and scraping -- were manufactured on par with European and African models. Behera and Sinha are of the opinion that the site was inhabited by the Palaeolithic band for food processing purposes. However, in the absence of evidence of on-site manufacturing of processing tools, the experts observed that these tools were manufactured elsewhere -- where suitable raw materials such as fine-grained quartzite was available. The raw materials were brought to the site in finished forms for use. "Future excavations will reveal the nearby manufacturing sites also," Behera told HT.

Behera said the geomorphological situation of the area indicated that the site must have provided an ideal environment with rich bio-diversity and a perennial water supply to the Palaeolithic settlers for prolonged inhabitation at the site. Plant phytolith samples were collected from the excavated deposit for further study, which will reflect the type of plants exploited by the early Hominids.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=NLetter&id=d558c95e-09a8-4d19-bed1-285481635dad&Headline=Cultural+remains+of+70%2c000-year-old+civilisation+found+in+Orissa
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Stupendous project to document rock art by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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A stupendous project to document rock art in several hundred sites in jungles, hills, caves and dolmens in 14 States is under way, courtesy the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) of the Union Department of Culture.

Bansi Lal Malla, Project Officer, IGNCA, called it “a special type of documentation” that involved archaeologists, artists, geographers, geologists, art historians, botanists, anthropologists and folklorists. It was “an ethno-archaeological project” with a multi-disciplinary approach, he said. K.K. Chakravarty, member-secretary, IGNCA, is the driving force behind the mission.

The IGNCA has built a special team to execute this “national mission” that aims at not only conserving the prehistoric paintings in rock shelters and dolmens but deciphering them.

The ravages wrought by nature and human vandalism of the paintings are under study. Dr. Malla said: “We are associating the local people in the project by telling them how important these sites...

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Ancient weapons dug up in India by coldrum on Wednesday, 21 May 2008
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Ancient weapons dug up in India

Archaeologists in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal have discovered small weapons made of stone which are around 15,000-20,000 years old.

The artefacts - dating to the Stone Age - were found during excavations in Murshidabad district, near Bangladesh.

Archaeologists say the find is potentially significant as it suggests man's presence in the area dates back much earlier than previously believed.

Finds such as this on the floodplains of the River Ganges are very rare.

However, there is ample evidence of stone age activity in India's upland regions.

'Raw materials'

The weapons - which include small axes - were discovered at Ekani-Chandpara village near Sagardighi, which is an ancient site.

Archaeologists say the weapons were found from a soil layer belonging to the mid-Pleistocene period - much below the Holocene layer where present human habitation takes place.

"We have not only discovered the weapons at this site, but...

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Archaeologists unearth 2500-yr-old city in Orissa by coldrum on Tuesday, 20 May 2008
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Archaeologists unearth 2500-yr-old city in Orissa

Archaeologists have made interesting findings at an ancient city Sisupalgarh in Orissa, which is more than 2500 yrs old. They believe it is older and bigger than even Athens in Greece.

Situated on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Sisupalgarh was once a thriving metropolis, with a population of over 25,000. That makes it even larger than the biggest city of classical Greece, Athens.

University of California Head archeologist Dr Monica L Smith says, “These cities from a very early time about the third or fourth century BC were very densely populated and urban in every sense of the word.”

Even though Sisupalgarh was discovered in 1948, it wasn’t until three years ago that excavations started here.

A team of archeologists from Deccan College in Pune, University of California and Archeological Survey of India (ASI) are manning the digs.

Deccan College Head Archeologist Dr R K Mohanty says, “What we have excavated is a very...

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