Indian Archaeology 1993-94 A Review

292 Pages·2008·5.43 MB·English

by  Om Prakash

INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1993-94
— A REVIEW

EDITED BY
R. S. BISHT C. DORJE ARUNDHATI BANERJI

PUBLISHED BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
JANPATH, NEW DELHI
2000
Lalkot & Anangtal
view of excavated site and terracotta human figurines (front cover), glazed pottery (back cover)
2000
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Price: Rs. 340.00
PRINTED AT M/S BENGAL OFFSET WORKS, 335, KHAJOOR ROAD, NEW DELHI -110005
PREFACE
I am pleased to present before you yet another issue of Indian Archaeology-A Review,
the forty-first in the series. As usual this Review incorporates the materials submitted by
various organizations engaged in archaeological activities in different fields of archaeology
covering exploration, excavation, epigraphy, numismatics, treasure trove, architectural
survey, radiocarbon dates, palaeobotanical studies, museums, preservation of monuments,
architectural sites, archaeological chemistry and gardens.
My sincere thanks are due to all the State Departments of Archaeology and Museums,
Universities, Research Institutions, Laboratories and the various agencies of the Survey. I
however, request earnestly to all of them for timely submission of material in conformity with
the format, terminology and spellings followed in the earlier issues of the Review so as to
enable us to bring out the publication in time. It is needless to stress that this is the sole
reason for Indian Archaeology-A Review being in arrears.
I would like to thank S/Shri R.S. Bisht, C. Dorje, Ms. Arundhati Banerji for
compilation and editing the issue and Shri Hoshiar Singh for preparing the dummy of plates
and seeing it through the press, Ms. Anju Dhawan and all the staff members of the
Publication Section of the Survey for assisting the editors in diverse ways. Lastly, I express
my gratitude to Shri Hari Manjhi, Director (Publication) and Mrs. Savi Sagar of M/s Bengal
Offset works for their co-operation in bringing out this issue.
S.B. MATHUR
Director General
New Delhi,
March, 2000

CONTENTS

PAGE
I. Explorations and Excavations ... ... ... 1
Andhra Pradesh, 1 ; Arunachal Pradesh, 6; Assam, 9 ; Bihar, 9; Delhi, 11;
Gujarat, 25; Haryana, 45; Jammu and Kashmir, 53; Karnataka, 54; Madhya
Pradesh, 69; Maharashtra, 73; Orissa, 84; Punjab, 90; Rajasthan, 91; Tamil
Nadu, 98; Uttar Pradesh, 100; West Bengal, 121
II. Epigraphy ... ... ... ... ... 123
Sanskritic and Dravidic Inscriptions, 123
Andhra Pradesh, 123; Karnataka, 124; Madhya Pradesh, 125;
Tamil Nadu, 126 Arabic and
Persian Inscriptions, 128
Andhra Pradesh, 128; Gujarat, 128; Madhya Pradesh, 129;
Maharashtra, 129; Rajasthan, 130; Uttar Pradesh, 130; West Bengal, 131
III. Numismatics and Treasure Trove... ... ... ... ... 132
Andhra Pradesh, 132; Gujarat, 132; Karnataka, 132; Madhya Pradesh, 133;
Maharashtra, 133; West Bengal, 133
IV. Other Important Discoveries ... ... ... ... ... 135
Andhra Pradesh, 135; Gujarat, 135; Karnataka, 136; Kerala, 136;
Madhya Pradesh, 136; Tamil Nadu, 137; Uttar Pradesh, 138; West
Bengal, 138
V. Radiocarbon Dates ... ... ... ... ... 139
Gujarat, 139; Karnataka, 141; Oman, 141; Orissa, 142;
Uttar Pradesh, 142
VI. Palaeobotanical and Pollen Analytical Investigations ... ... 143
Bihar,143 ; Haryana,143 ; Punjab, 144
VII. Museums ... ... ... ... ... 146
VIII. Architectural Survey ... ... ... ... ... 151
Temple Survey, Northern Region, 151
Building Survey, 151
IX. Preservation of Monuments ... ... ... ... ... 156
Monuments of National Importance, 156
Agra Circle, 156; Aurangabad Circle, 158; Bangalore Circle, 159;
Bhopal Circle, 163; Bhubaneswar Circle, 167; Calcutta Circle, 168;
Chandigarh Circle, 170; Delhi Circle, 171; Guwahati Circle, 173;
Hyderabad Circle, 174; Jaipur Circle, 176; Lucknow Circle, 178;
Madras Circle, 181; Mini Circle, Goa, 184; Mini Circle, Shimla, 184;
Patna Circle, 185; Srinagar Circle, 186; Vadodara Circle, 186
Monuments Maintained by the States, 187
Assam, 187; Gujarat, 188; Karnataka, 188;
Manipur, 189
X. Archaeological Chemistry ... ... ... ... ... 190
Treatment of Monuments and Paintings, 190
Andhra Pradesh, 190; Bihar, 190;
Delhi, 191; Goa, 192; Gujarat, 192; Himachal Pradesh, 193;
Jammu and Kashmir, 194; Karnataka, 195; Madhya Pradesh, 196;
Maharashtra, 197; Orissa, 198; Rajasthan, 198; Tamil Nadu, 199;
Uttar Pradesh, 200; West Bengal, 202
Treatment and P reservation of Excavated and Museum Objects, 202
Research and Analysis, 203
XL Archaeological Gardens ... ... ... ... ... 206
Goa, 206; Karnataka, 206;
Maharashtra, 206; Tamil Nadu, 206; Uttar Pradesh, 206; West Bengal, 207
XII. Publications ... ... ... ... ... 208
Publications of the Survey, 208
Other Publications, 208
INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1993-94 — A REVIEW

L EXPLORATIONS AND EXCAVATIONS
ANDHRA PRADESH
1. EXPLORATION IN DISTRICT ANANTAPUR.—In the course of village-to-village survey, the following
villages of archaeological importance were noticed by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums,
Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Village Nature of remains
Budidagaddapalli Early historic
Peravali Glass industry of medieval period
Sasanakota Early historic site
2. EXPLORATION IN DISTRICT CHITTOOR.— The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums,
Government of Andhra Pradesh, reported the discovery of an early historical site at Tondamanadu.
3. EXPLORATION IN DISTRICT CUDDAPAH.— The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums,
Government of Andhra Pradesh, reported the discovery of a protohistoric site at Kundili Cherlopalli.
4. EXPLORATION IN DISTRICT EAST GODAVARI.— The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums,
Government of Andhra Pradesh, reported the discovery of the following sites.
Village Nature of remains
Bovanapudi Jaina sculptures of medieval period
Chollangi Early historic
Devipatnam Loose sculptures
Gorsa Late medieval mud-fort
Nemam Medieval sculptures
INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1993-94 —A REVIEW
5. EXPLORATION IN AND AROUND RAJAHMUNDRY, DISTRICT EAST GODAVARI. — R. V. Siva Sarma of
the Archaeological Survey of India1 brought to light the following sites of archaeological importance
during the course of exploration.
Village Nature of remains
Bommuru Early historic pottery and remnants of brick-stupa
Devipatnam Medieval temple
Pedda Kondepudi and Habitational mounds and loose sculptures ranging
Chinna Kondepudi from second century to twelfth century AD
Raghudevapuram Remnants of medieval mud-fort and early historical pottery
Rajahmundry Dilapidated brick-temple with an inscription in
Telugu (twelfth century)
Ramadurgam fort Medieval fort, temple and tank
Vemagiri Mitta Early historic pottery, early medieval temple and remnants
of brick-stupa
6. EXCAVATION AT GARAPADU, DISTRICT GUNTUR. — The Birla Archaeological and Cultural
Research Institute, Hyderabad, conducted excavation at Garapadu in collaboration with the Nagarjuna
University under the direction of G. Kamalakar, Director BACRI and B.R. Subramanyam of the
Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, University of Nagarjuna. V.V. Krishna Sastri
(Advisor, BACRI), assisted by M. Veerender, Venu Shankar, G. Maheshwari, V. Satyanand Kumar,
Narasa Reddy, G. Ramakrishna and others, supervised the excavations in sixteen trenches which
revealed the material and settlement of the Neolithic, Megalithic and early historical periods covering
a span of nearly two thousand years or more.
Period I (Neolithic), continuing from the lowest level, revealed the most important evidence of
nearly ten dwelling-pits of different sizes which were used either for habitation or storage purpose. In
these pits, potsherds, stone and bone implements, microlithic blades, steatite beads and charred animal
bone pieces were recovered. In the same level, post-holes in circular fashion were also noticed. Two
types of burials were noticed, the first type consisted of burying the dead body in full articulation while
the second type is marked by an urn-burial or pot-burial exclusively for the dead children. In both the
cases, the lower limbs (particularly the ankles) of the skeletons were found missing. As far as the
artefacts are concerned, the Neolithic level yielded a good number of polished axes, adzes, microlithic
tools, mullers, querns and pounders of stone, steatite beads and bone implements. Besides, the pottery
consisted of hand-made coarse red ware, buff ware (sometime burnished), burnished grey/black wares
and coarse black-and-red ware.
The occupational deposit of Period II (Megalithic) is very thin. The cultural remains include
typical burnished black-and-red ware of Megalithic context and iron implements (scracely found) along
1 Archaeological Survey of India is referred to in the following pages as the Survey only.
2