Rangpur, Gujarat

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Rangpur
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Location Surendranagar district, Gujarat, India
Coordinates 22°26′N71°55′E / 22.433°N 71.917°E / 22.433; 71.917
TypeSettlement
History
Periods Harappan 1 to Iron Age
Cultures Indus Valley civilization

Rangpur is an ancient archaeological site in Surendranagar district near Vanala on Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, western India. Lying on the tip between the Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch, it belongs to the period of the Indus Valley civilization, and lies to the northwest of the larger site of Lothal. [1] It is the type site for the Rangpur culture, a regional form of the late phase of the Indus Valley Civilization that existed in Gujarat during the 2nd millennium BCE.

Contents

Excavation

Map of Rangpur and other sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, late phase. Indus Valley Civilization, Late Phase (1900-1300 BCE).png
Map of Rangpur and other sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, late phase.

Rangpur culture: Based on the distinct pottery excavated here, it was identified as a separate culture or subculture. [2]

Trail Diggings were conducted by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) during 1931 led by M.S.Vats. Later, Ghurye (1939), Dikshit (1947) and S. R. Rao (1953–56) excavated the site under ASI projects. [3]

S.R.Rao has classified the deposits into four periods with three sub periods in Harappan Culture, Period II with an earlier Period, Microlithic and a Middle Paleolithic State (River sections) with points, scrapers and blades of jasper. The dates given by S.R.Rao are:

Architecture and town planning

Acacia wood was used in Rangpur for construction, tools and furniture. [4]

Artefacts found

Dishes with beaded rim and grooved shoulder, painted black - and redware and high-necked jars. [5] Evidence of shell working found. [6] Other artifacts found at the site include axes, beads of steatite and carnelian and Earthen wares.

Cultivation

Large quantity of plant remains were found at Rangpur. Bajra, [7] rice [1] (Period IIA) and Millet (Period HI) were found. [8]

Diet

People of Rangpur culture used rice and bajra for food. They also used to consume milk and curds from their domesticated animals. [9]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, by Upinder Singh
  2. The Harappan Civilisation: Its Sub-cultures, Daily Pioneer, 10 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Excavations - Important - Gujarat". asi.nic.in. Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. McIntosh, Jane.(2008) The Ancient Indus Valley : New Perspectives. ABC-CLIO. Page 140
  5. Archeological Surve of India Publication: Indian Archeology 1955-56. Page 70
  6. Singh, Upinder (2008). A history of ancient and early medieval India : from the Stone Age to the 12th century. New Delhi: Pearson Education. p. 164. ISBN   9788131711200.
  7. McIntosh, Jane.(2008) The Ancient Indus Valley : New Perspectives. ABC-CLIO. Page 112
  8. Bridget and Raymond Allchin (1968) The Rise of Civilisaton in India and Pakistan. Page 245
  9. Prakash, Om (2005). Cultural History of India. New Age International. p. 450. ISBN   978-81-224-1587-2.

Further reading