Early Harappan Cultures of Indus Valley.

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1. Pre-Harappan Culture with special reference to Kalibangan Dr. Virag Sontakke Assistant Professor A.I.H.C. & Archaeology Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

2. Introduction Nomenclature: Pre-Harappan/Pre-Indus/Early Harrapan/ Regionalization Era Period(5000 -2600 BCE) Regional Cultures Identification Marker: Ceramics Area: Sindh, Baluchistan, India (Rajasthan, Haryana & Panjab) Amri- Nal Phase in Sindh & Baluchistan Kot Diji : Punjab and Cholistan Sothi-Siswal : Punjab, Haryana

3. The beginning C lear and gradual evolution D iverse and abundant subsistence and resource base, E stablishment of socio‐economic interaction systems T he technological expertise and C apacity to fulfil the needs of both urban and state-level society, S tatus differentiation or social hierarchies. Agro ‐pastoral settlements into villages and large towns during C ontrol of technology and distribution of finished products

4. Indus Tradition: Basic Chronology : Kenoyar Foraging Era Mesolithic and Microlithic 10,000 to 2000 BCE Early Food Producing Era Mehrgarh Phase 7000 to 5500 BCE Early Harappan Phases Ravi, Hakra , Sheri Khan Tarakai , Balakot , Amri, Kot Diji , Sothi , 5500 to 2600 BCE Integration Era Harappan Phase 2600 to 1900 BCE Localization Era Late Harappan Phases Punjab, Jhukar , Rangpur 1900 to 1300 BCE

5. Mehargarh A well-known site in South Asia Kachchi Plain, near Bolan Pass in Pakistan An index of Archaeology of South Asia Evidence of sedentary occupation Beginning of Agriculture and pastoralism Chronology: 7000-1900 BCE Excavation: 1975-1885 by French Archaeological Team (J.F. Jarrige )

6. Mehargarh : Period I Period I: 7000-5500 BCE People: Hunter and nomads/pastoralists Houses: bricks Stone tools: sickle, hoe Agricultural: Barley, wheat Animals: Cow, sheep, goats, bulls Ornaments: seashell, limestone, turquoise and lapis lazuli

7. Mehargarh Period III Period II Date: 5500-4800 BCE Ceramics Wheel turned with Painted designs TC seal Date: 4800-3500 BCE Fine pottery Refined ornaments Copper

8. Mehargarh & Nausharo Mehargarh Period IV: 3500-3250 BCE Period V: 3250-3000 BCE Period VI: C. 3000 BCE Period VII: 2600-2000 BCE: Similar to IVC Nausharo 10 km south of Mehargarh Period I of Nausharo = Period IV of Mehargarh Period II & III of Nausharo = Harappa Culture

9. Phase Dates Important sites Features Early Harappan or Regionalization 3300- 2600BCE Harappa, Kot Diji , Amri Fortification, grid planning, development of incipient trade network and craft specialization Transitional Phase Kunal, Dholavira,Harappa Increasing level of craft specialization, organized irrigation system, partly standardized repertoire of pottery designs and forms Mature Harappan or Integration 2600- 1800BCE Mohenjo-daro , Harappa, Kalibangan , Dholavira . Full scale urbanization, emergence of writing and uniformity in artefacts, full fledged trade Late Harappan or Localization Post 1800- 1500/ 1300BCE Cemetery H at Harappa, Siswal , Rojdi , Rangpur. Decline, and abandonment of some sites, rise of pastoral mode.

10. Early Harappan Cultures The Kot Dijian culture : occupying the largest area embracing NWFP, Pakistan’s Punjab and northern Sindh. Sothi-Siswal culture: northern Rajasthan, Indian Punjab and Haryana. The Amri- Nal culture: Baluchistan and Central and Southern Sindh with extensions in Gujarat. The Damb Sadaat : Central Baluchistan. Hakra : Swat valley, west Punjab, Haryana & Rajasthan

11. Kot Diji Location: Sindh 1955 by F.A. Khan Fortified settlements: Massive defensive wall Lower town and citadel Mud bricks and stones (bastions) Ceramic: well-fired Red ware, Buff ware with paintings of horned deity, pipal leaves and fish scale Area: northern Sindh, the Punjab, Northwest Frontier and Cholistan Period: c. 3200-2600 BCE Sites: 111

12. Ceramics are thin and are light in weight. W ell decorated and the paintings P aintings are geometric and naturalistic. S hapes are pots, bowls, basins, dish on stand, lids and dishes.

13. Sothi-Siswal Culture A. Ghosh: Similarity with Kot-Diji pottery Similar painting motifs But some differences Identified as a subculture of Kot-Diji Possehl : 165 sites (Rajasthan & Haryana & Panjab) Important sites: Kalibangan , Siswal ,

14. Sothi-Siswal Culture Sothi is a type site On the bank of dried Drishadvati (now Chautang ) river in Rajasthan The site was discovered by A. Ghosh Small site: 200 sq. m. Excavation: K. N. Dikshit 1987 Deposit below the Mature Harappan phase Houses were small & made of mud bricks Cultural Identification Markers: Ceramics Sothi pottery: black-and-buff ware is similar to: Baluchistan ( Kille Ghul Mohammed, Kechi Beg) Similar to : Type B (bichrome), C, D (incised) and F Sothi culture sites found in Cholistan (Pakistan), India (Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab)

15. Amri- Nal Culture Two Sites: Amri + Nal Area : Baluchistan and Sindh, Gujrat Period : c. 3200-2600 BCE The Amri ceramics are fine and well made, light red or buff in colour. Pottery: Light red or buff colour painted with black Hand–made monochrome to wheel-made beautiful pottery Designs: beautiful paintings with different colours S hapes: bowls, jars and tall vases with simple rim forms. Sites: 164 (2003)

16. Damb Sadat Area: Quetta valley and northern Baluchistan Based on Pottery Influence: Kot-Diji Period: c. 3200-2600 BCE Damb Sadaat phase was also slipped. B lack on buff and wheel made Distinct features: Animal and geometric motifs shapes are bowls, vases, pots, dishes, bowls on stands and jars. Sites: 37 Mundigak Mehrgarh + Nausharo

17. By This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy, CC0, https:// commons.wikimedia.org /w/ index.php?curid =60512179

18. Hakra Culture Location: Swat Valley, West Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Period: c. 3800-3200 BCE Ceramics: handmade, red in colour with multiple incised lines, parallel and wavy lines Shapes: pots, dish on stand, basins and dishes Large number of microliths is reported from Hakra sites. M etal working and shell working were also practiced Stone walls, square rooms and oval pit houses were reported from Loebnar III Animals: Cattle, sheep/goat/gazelle, and pig were reported from various sites. Agriculture: Wheat, oats, rice, lentil, barley, field pea and grapes were reported from this phase.

19. Pre-Harappa in Gujrat Special case Amri- Nal , Kot-Diji pottery Early Harappan phase: Dholavira Period I and II (Amri- Nal , Kot-Diji pottery), Padri

20. Banavali Pre-Harappan deposit: 3 meter People living inside the fortification wall Small & single - storied houses Made of mud bricks Size: 12 x 24 x 36 cm & 13 x 26 x 39 cm Circular pit silos: grain storage Fireplace: fire worship Ceramics: All six types Copper + Stone blades Stone beads: faience, shell and steatite TC animal figurines Stone weight

21. Kalibangan

22. Kalibangan First, pre-Harappan excavated site in Rajasthan On the bank of Ghaggar , in Rajasthan Remains of fortification wall Discovered by: Luigi Pio Tessitori (Italian Indologist) in 1916-17 Excavation : B.B. Lal, B.K. Thapar & Team Year : 1960-1969 Three mounds: KLB 1, KLB 2, KLB 3

23. Site & Stratigraphy Two mounds Area : a quarter square kilometre Citadel : western mound 9 m. high Lower city : eastern mound Parallelogrammatic on plan Size : 250 x 180 meters Made of mud bricks: 3:2:1 (30 x20 x10 cm) Two periods Period I: Early Harappan Period II: Mature Harappan

24. Early Harappan period Remains of earlier structures found at lower levels of KLB 1, near the river The site was fortified with mud bricks: 30x20x10 cm Fortifications Repaired twice : Thickness increase First Phase : 1.9 m.; Second Phase : 3.7–4.1 m. Baked bricks used for the construction of houses Burnt bricks used for drains Structure and planning similar to Harappa and Mohenjodaro

25. Fortification Settlement was fortified Material : mud bricks Thickness of the wall: 1.9 m

26. Early Harappan Defense

27. Early Harappan Defense

28. The Site plan

29. Houses Inside the fortification Made of mud bricks English bond type Tandoors (ovens): above or below the ground Fired bricks used in drains Road/Lanes: 1.5 m. wide Pit silos: grain storage

30. English-Bond

31. Ceramics Six different ceramics: A to F A type: Dull red surface with paintings in black, sometimes white B type: Red ware with rusticated surface on body, black paintings of fine red surface C type: Deluxe ware, smooth red surface with black paintings D type: Decorated with a deeply incised combed pattern on the exterior E type: Buff surface F type: Grey surface

32. Ceramics: Fabric A Red ware, wheel-made R ed to pinkish coarse surface devoid of wash and slip. The motifs on black, sometime white is also added. D esigns are thick or thin horizontal bands on the neck and Shoulder, Opposite triangles enclosed. And several others

33. Fabric A

34. Fabric A

35. Fabric B : A dvanced stage than Fabric- A. Carefully potted ware which is covered by a red slip up to shoulder or belly. Below the belly, a thin clay solution with sand rustication The finger or another device may execute wavy or horizontal lines. Slipped surface of pot painted with the black horizontal band with varying thickness.

36. Fabric B :

37. Fabric C Pots were treated by finer texture paste and red to pale red smooth slip was applied. Painted designs were Horizontal bands, pendant triangles, loops, Butterfly or double axe, wavy verticals, and the scales. Shapes: globular pots with disc base, vertical sided bowls, offering stand with flange rim, lids, dishes etc.

38. Fabric D: A distinctive variety T hick sturdy wares bearing red slip on the outer surface. D ecorated with the incised pattern on the inner surface . I ncised patterns are like multiple wavy lines, horizontal lines, vertical lines, oblique lines and cross the horizontal lines, flowers, leaves, etc. Shapes: heavy body jars, basins or troughs with ring base. Basins of this category

39. Fabric D:

40. Fabric E: This category is comprised by the buff to reddish slip surface ceramics. Reported motifs patterns on pottery are as early fabrics. Potteries shapes are large and medium jars with flange round rim, offering stand on dishes, bowls, lids and small chalice etc.

41. Fabric E:

42. Fabric F: This is grey colour pottery D istinct from other the Early Harappan pottery as surface colour. Usually, black and white pigments were used to decorate the surface of pots. Horizontal bands and crisscross designs were frequently found as motifs. Shapes are generally similar to those of other categories, such as dish-on-stands, Bowls, Vases, and Basins.

43. Antiquities Copper + stone tools Bone tools Stone tools : Blades Stone beads: steatite, carnelian, shell Copper bangles, celts Gold TC : cake

44. Antiquities

45. Agricultural Field The earliest reference of a ploughed field of world It is dated 2800 BCE Situated outside the fortification (South-east) Excavations revealed a grid pattern of furrows The grid pattern of furrows : 30 cm running east-west and about 190 cm apart running north-south A similar pattern is still practised by farmers nowadays. In modern times, similar ploughing is used for double crops in this region (mustard and gram).

46. Agricultural Field Remains

47. Agricultural Field Remains

48. Agricultural Field Remains

49. Chronology B.B. Lal: Period I: circa 3000 BCE to 2700 BCE

50. Significance of Kalibangan Use of baked and burnt bricks Fortification Bathroom and drains Initiation of well-planned structures Earliest record of agricultural field Evidence shows that an earthquake around 2600 BC ended the Early Indus settlement at the site.

51. Conclusion Agriculture: Double crop pattern Cooking : Ovens, including tandoors, were found in Kalibangan in the Early Indus phase, tracing the history of bread making in India back nearly 5,000 years. Pottery : Wheel-made pottery dominates all the Early Harappan levels. Specialised in pottery Technique : Blade and copper also show technical development Trade : Nal (Baluchistan). Both Nal and Kalibangan have yielded beads of steatite and shell which could have reached all the three places through long distance trade. Structures : Fortified settlements and planned arrangements of houses made of standardized bricks. Continuity : Miscellaneous artefacts like terracotta cakes and painted motifs like fish scale and pipal leaf continued in the Mature Harappan phase.

52. Thank You. Any Questions?