Indian Archaeology 1997-98 A Review

376 Pages·2008·7.31 MB·English

by  Om Prakash

INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1997-98

-A REVIEW

PUBLISHED BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
JANPATH, NEW DELHI
2003
©
2003
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Price :Rs. 700.00
PRINTED AT : Public Printing (Delhi) Services, C-80, Okhla Industrial Area, New Delhi -110020
PREFACE

The IAR which was initially published as the report of the DG in India on the occasion of the tenth meeting
of the Central Advisory board of Archaeology is a valuable work of reference. The reports incorporated in this
issue are the outcome of researches undertaken on (1) Excavations and Explorations (2) Epigraphy (3) Numismatic
& Treasure Trove (4) Other Important Discoveries (5) Radiocarbon Dating (6) Palaeobotany (7) Museums (8)
Architectural Survey (9) Structural & Chemical Preservation of Monuments (10) Archaeological Chemistry
(11) Archaeological Gardens & (12) Publications. This is the forty-fifth issue of the IAR, which contains an
Article Index to Ancient India as an Appendix.
As I have mentioned in the preface of an earlier issue (1996-97), we are trying to minimize the gap in printing
that occurred mainly due to non-submission of material, not only by the State Departments of Archaeology/
Institutions and Universities but also by my colleagues in the Survey. Here, I would like to stress, that in order to
bring out the IAR timely, everybody's cooperation is essential.
For the vast and painstaking work of sorting out, compiling, editing, proofreading and making the copy
press-ready, I am deeply beholden to Dr B.R. Mani (Superintending Archaeologist, Publication),
Dr (Miss) Arundhati Banerji (Dy. Superintending Archaeologist, Publication) and Dr Piyush Bhatt (Assistant
Archaeologist, Publication). My thanks are also due to Shri Hoshiar Singh (Production Officer, Publication) and
the rest of the staff of the Publication Section besides Shri Vijay Kumar (Chief Artist), Shri Rakesh Chander
(Senior Artist), Shri Baldev Singh (Draftsman, Grade II) and Shri Puran Chand Mukhiya (Marksman) of the
Drawing Section for improving the drawings incorporated in this issue. Without everybody's support this issue
would not have seen the light of day.
The design, layout, editorial corrections, etc., have been done by Shri Abhishek Biswas and Shri Bharat
Bhushan Upadhyay for which I am thankful. Mr. Anil Kochar of Public Printing (Delhi) Services also deserves my
special thanks for bringing out this issue in the shortest possible time.
(KASTURI GUPTA MENON)
New Delhi DIRECTOR GENERAL

CONTENTS

I. Explorations and Excavations ...................................... 1
Andhra Pradesh, 1; Arunachal Pradesh, 1; Assam, 5; Bihar, 13;
Goa, 18; Gujarat, 19; Haryana, 32; Jammu and Kashmir, 64;
Karnataka, 64; Kerala, 96; Madhya Pradesh, 99; Maharashtra, 125;
Manipur, 133;Orissa,134;Rajasthan, 145; Uttar Pradesh, 164;
West Bengal, 200
II. Epigraphy .................................................. 205
Sanskritic and Dravidic Inscriptions,
Andhra Pradesh, 205; Karnataka, 207; Madhya Pradesh, 207;
Tamil Nadu, 207 Arabic and Persian Inscriptions, 209
Andhra Pradesh, 209; Delhi, 210; Uttar Pradesh, 213
III. Numismatics and Treasure Trove .................................................. 214
Gujarat, 214; Kerala, 214; Uttar Pradesh, 216; West Bengal, 216
IV. Other Important Discoveries .................................................. 222
Andhra Pradesh,222; Gujarat, 223; Kerala, 223; Maharashtra, 223;
Tamil Nadu, 225; Uttar Pradesh,225
V. Radiocarbon Dates .................................................. 227
Haryana, 227
VI. Palaeobotanical and Pollen Analytical Investigations ........................... 229
Haryana, 229

VII. Museums .................................................. 233
VIII. Architectural Survey ................................................... 238
Temple Survey (Northern Region), 238;
Temple Survey (Southern Region), 247;
Building Survey Project (North), 249;
IX. Preservation of Monuments .................................................. 257
Monuments of National Importance, 257
Agra Circle, 257; Aurangabad Circle, 266; Banglore Circle, 270;
Bhopal Circle, 274; Bhubaneswar Circle, 279; Calcutta Circle, 282;
Chandigarh Circle, 290; Chennai Circle, 292; Delhi Circle, 298;
Guwahati Circle, 299; Hyderabad Circle, 301; Jaipur Circle, 306;
Lucknow Circle,309; Mini Circle, Goa, 312; Patna Circle, 314;
Srinagar Circle, 316; Thrissur Circle, 320; Vadodara Circle. 321
X. Archaeological Chemistry .................................................. 328
Treatment of Monuments and Paintings, 328
Andhra Pradesh, 328; Bihar, 329; Delhi, 334; Goa, 336;Gujarat, 337;
Himachal Pradesh, 338; Jammu and Kashmir, 338; Karnataka, 339;
Madhya Pradesh, 341; Maharashtra, 344; Orissa, 347; Rajasthan, 348;
Tamil Nadu, 350; Uttar Pradesh, 351; West Bengal 353
Treatment of Excavated Objects and Museum Exhibits, 353
Monitoring of Air Pollution, 358; Research and Analysis, 360
XL Archaeological Gardens .... .... ............................ 363
Karnataka, 363; Uttar Pradesh, 363; West Bengal, 363
XII. Publications 364
Publications of the Survey, 364
Special Publications, 364 Other
Publications, 3 64 Appendix
Article Index to Ancient India Nos. 1 - 22 ........................... 365
INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1997-98 -A REVIEW

EXPLORATIONS AND EXCAVATIONS

ANDHRA PRADESH exposed ruined original brick-built, lime-plastered and
stucco decorated sikharas over the central and
1. EXCAVATION AT LANJAPATRAGANDI TEMPLE,
southern shrines, which are of bhumija variety, rarely
WARANGAL FORT, DISTRICT WARANGAL
noticed in temples of Kakatiya period. Over the roof
The Hyderabad Circle of the Archaeological of 'the garbhagriha of the southern sub-shrine, inside
Survey of India1, under the direction of S.V.P. the sikhara at its northeastern corner were found a
Halakatti, assisted by G.S. Narasimhan, T.C. Ratnam, small gold sheet of rectangular shape measuring 3 x
A. Suresh, V. Kanaka Raju, I.V.M. Sarma, S.A. 2.8 cm and embossed with figures of god and goddess
Jaleel, B. Subba Rao, Ch. Yadagiri Reddy and G. and a few copper objects of ritual purpose viz., two
Maheshwari carried out excavation at Warangal Fort small dishes, a lamp with five wicks having elongated
with the aim of studying the locational significance of handle (pl. 2), a small tripod, one small globular copper
the buried temples under the mud fort rampart vis-a- pot with short spout (pl. 3) and two iron knives. Apart
vis the lay out of Warangal and its relationsnip with from these objects, nearly twenty miniature grey ware
the inner stone fortification and the structures inside. vessels (pl. 4) arranged in rows were also found in
In the first instance excavation was conducted at the south-east corner of the above place.
Lanjapatragandi to expose the temple, which is
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
partially buried and visible on the surface. The visible
portion of the temple is trikutachala on plan with 2. EXPLORATION IN THE DISTRICT WEST KAMENG
three shrines facing north, south and east with
Archaeological exploration had been
sikharas of central and southern shrines, buried under
conducted by the Directorate of Research,
the mud rampart while the sikhara of the northern
Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar, in the
shrine was lost (pl. 1). The excavation here has
foothills of West Kameng (26° 58' and 27° 12' N;
Referred to as the Survey in the following pages-