Fresh Excavations at Largest Harappan Site
Fresh excavations to start at largest Harappan site
After a gap of 13 years, excavation work will start once again at Rakhigarhi, estimated to be the largest Harappan civilization site located in Hisar district of Haryana. This early Harappan settlement, considered bigger than Mohenjo-daro, was listed among the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia just last year by the Global Heritage Fund, which is, incidentally, partnering with city-based Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute that will start fresh excavations at Rakhigarhi this year.
The college has been working on the site since 2006 and conducted a survey using ground penetration radar (GPR), which uses electromagnetic radiation to image up to 20 metres of the subsurface. The survey revealed that the site was spread over 400 hectares, dispelling doubts about it being the largest Harappan site. "So far, archaeologists thought that Rakhigarhi was the third largest Harappan site in the subcontinent, after Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. However, a preliminary survey of the site revealed that it is spread over 400 hectares, and is bigger than Mohenjo-daro, which is located in Sindh, Pakistan, and is spread over an area of 300 hectares," said Vasant Shinde, senior archaeologist and joint director at the Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
The survey also found visible mounds in the area. "Some places were dug and we found that the habitation debris is spread over an area of 400 hectare. We also identified areas where crafts were manufactured, apart from identifying different activity areas," said Shinde.
The site is located at the confluence of ancient rivers Saraswati and Drishadvati, which have been mentioned in the Rigveda. "These rivers went dry at some stage and thus, we will also study when they went dry and the factors that contributed to it. The Saraswati region was important as nearly two-thirds of the known Harappan sites were located in this basin," he said.
After a gap of 13 years, excavation work will start once again at Rakhigarhi, estimated to be the largest Harappan civilization site located in Hisar district of Haryana. This early Harappan settlement, considered bigger than Mohenjo-daro, was listed among the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia just last year by the Global Heritage Fund, which is, incidentally, partnering with city-based Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute that will start fresh excavations at Rakhigarhi this year.
The college has been working on the site since 2006 and conducted a survey using ground penetration radar (GPR), which uses electromagnetic radiation to image up to 20 metres of the subsurface. The survey revealed that the site was spread over 400 hectares, dispelling doubts about it being the largest Harappan site. "So far, archaeologists thought that Rakhigarhi was the third largest Harappan site in the subcontinent, after Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. However, a preliminary survey of the site revealed that it is spread over 400 hectares, and is bigger than Mohenjo-daro, which is located in Sindh, Pakistan, and is spread over an area of 300 hectares," said Vasant Shinde, senior archaeologist and joint director at the Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute.
The survey also found visible mounds in the area. "Some places were dug and we found that the habitation debris is spread over an area of 400 hectare. We also identified areas where crafts were manufactured, apart from identifying different activity areas," said Shinde.
The site is located at the confluence of ancient rivers Saraswati and Drishadvati, which have been mentioned in the Rigveda. "These rivers went dry at some stage and thus, we will also study when they went dry and the factors that contributed to it. The Saraswati region was important as nearly two-thirds of the known Harappan sites were located in this basin," he said.