Shikarpur, Gujarat

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Shikarpur
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Alternative nameValmio Timbo (Local)
Location Kutch District, Gujarat, India
Coordinates 23°14′15″N70°40′39″E / 23.23750°N 70.67750°E / 23.23750; 70.67750 Coordinates: 23°14′15″N70°40′39″E / 23.23750°N 70.67750°E / 23.23750; 70.67750
TypeSettlement
Area4.3 ha (11 acres)
Height7.5 m (25 ft)
History
Periods Harappan 3A to Harappan 3C
Cultures Indus Valley Civilization
Site notes
Excavation dates1987–89, 2007-08
ArchaeologistsState Archaeology Department and The Maharaja Sayyajirao University
ConditionRuined
OwnershipPublic
Public accessYes

Shikarpur is a village in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch district of Gujarat, India. Nearby excavations have revealed a site belonging to the Indus Valley Civilisation, also known as the Harappan civilisation.

Bhachau city in Gujarat, India

Bhachau is a city and a municipality in Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. Bhachau was one of many devastated towns in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat, during the 1956 Anjar earthquake as well as in the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. As of 2011 it had a population of 39,532 in over 8,647 households.

Kutch district District of Gujarat in India

Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,674 km², it is the largest district of India. The population of Kutch is about 2,092,000. It has 10 Talukas, 939 villages and 6 Municipalities. The Kutch district is home to the Kutchi people who speak the Kutchi language.

Gujarat State in India

Gujarat is a state on the western coast of India with a coastline of 1,600 km (990 mi) – most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula – and a population in excess of 60 million. It is the fifth largest Indian state by area and the ninth largest state by population. Gujarat is bordered by Rajasthan to the northeast, Daman and Diu to the south, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Maharashtra to the southeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and the Arabian Sea and the Pakistani province of Sindh to the west. Its capital city is Gandhinagar, while its largest city is Ahmedabad. The Gujarati-speaking people of India are indigenous to the state. The economy of Gujarat is the fifth-largest state economy in India with ₹13.14 lakh crore (US$190 billion) in GDP and a per capita GDP of ₹174,000 (US$2,500). Gujarat ranks fifteenth among Indian states in human development index.

Contents

History

The fort of the village was built in the 19th century. It includes the tombs of three Muslim saints: Patha, Gebansha Multani, and Asaba. Patha, who is said to have come from Sindh, earned his fame by changing salt water into fresh; Gebansha by continuing to fight after his head was cut off; and Asaba by curing the blind. The tombs are simple buildings.[ citation needed ]

Archeology

Site description

The archaeological site is 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) south of Shikarpur, at Valmio Timbo. It consists of a Harappan settlement covering 3.4 hectares, where the main activity appears to have been the manufacture of artefacts.

Excavation history

Gujarat State Archaeology Department conducted excavations during 1987-1989. These revealed a deposit over 3 metres (9.8 ft) thick, with its lower layers representing the Early Harappan period and the upper layers representing Mature Harappan. [1] Further extensive excavations were carried in 2007-2008 by The Maharaja Sayyajirao University, Baroda. These discovered some important artefacts and other details.[ citation needed ]

Artifacts

Among the artefacts found are ornaments of semi-precious stones, steatite and terracotta, bangles made of shell and terracotta, copper chisels and knives, arrowheads, rings, terracotta toy cart frames, and animal figures. A depiction of a human torso made of terracotta was another important finding: this is well-baked, but the arms, head and lower part of the body are broken off. Pottery with various types of drawings and engraved designs were also found. [2] Other findings include conch-shell bangles, slice, terracotta toy cartwheels and frame, bangles, triangular cakes, bull figurines,pecker points and trimmer made of bone, micro gold beads, carnelian drill-bits, dish on stand, bowls, miniature pots, etc. [3] [4] An assemblage of Rohri chert blades was also found. [5]

Terracotta clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic

Terracotta, terra cotta or terra-cotta, a type of earthenware, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic, where the fired body is porous. Terracotta is the term normally used for sculpture made in earthenware, and also for various practical uses including vessels, water and waste water pipes, roofing tiles, bricks, and surface embellishment in building construction. The term is also used to refer to the natural brownish orange color of most terracotta, which varies considerably.

There are two terracotta sealings with inscriptions; on one seal is a picture of a three-headed unicorn; second sealing has three consecutive stampings of Harappan seals and the stamping is done in such a manner that the inscribed upper part of all three seals is clear. The reverse of the sealings bear the mark of thread and knots. [6]

Subsistence patterns

15,483 bones pieces, which were excavated at Shikarpur and studied at Archaeology Laboratory, Deccan College Pune, reveal details about subsistence patterns of Harappans. 53.46% of the bones were identified which consisted 47 species including 23 mammals (cattle bones being numerous, wild buffalo, nilgai, blackbuck, deer, wild pig, hare, rhino etc.), three birds, five fish, 13 mollusks etc. which is broadly suggestive of food habits of Harappans. Bones of domesticated animals comprised 85 per cent of faunal assemblance in both early and mature Harappan phase. A small quantity of horse bones were also found here and these occur only in the Mature Harappan Phase. [1]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Singh, Upinder (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Delhi: Pearson Education India. p. 158. ISBN   978-81-317-1120-0 . Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Bhan, Kuldeep K.; Sonawane, V. H.; Ajithprasad, P.; Pratapchandran, S. Excavations at Shikarpur, Gujarat, 2008-2009 (PDF). Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Maharaja Sayyajirao University, Baroda, via harappa.com. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  3. ↑ Indian Archaeology 1988-89: A Review. Pub : Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi. Page 10.
  4. ↑ "On the Pastoral Economies of Harappan Gujarat: Faunal Analyses at Shikarpur in Context (PDF Download Available)". ResearchGate. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  5. ↑ Gadekar, Charusmita; Rajesh, S. V.; Ajithprasad, P. (15 March 2014). "Shikarpur lithic assemblage: New questions regarding Rohri chert blade production". Journal of Lithic Studies. 1 (1): 137–149. doi:10.2218/jls.v1i1.764. ISSN   2055-0472.Available under CC BY 2.5 UK:Scotland.
  6. ↑ Bhan, Kuldeep K.; Sonawane, V. H.; Ajithprasad, P.; Pratapchandran, S. Excavations at Shikarpur, Gujarat, 2008-2009 (PDF). Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Maharaja Sayyajirao University, Baroda, via harappa.com. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
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