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Unearthing Asurdanga
SUHRID SANKAR CHATTOPADHYAY
Print edition : June 22, 2018 T+ T-
The excavation mound. The materials discovered included semi-precious stone beads of different shapes and sizes and microlithic stone tools. Photo: PHOTOGRAPHS: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Black and red ware. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta
Carnelian bead. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Chalcedony bead. This microscopic piece of art was produced from the most primitive stone tools. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Fluted core in stone. Fluting is a technique that involves slicing out uniform blades from a prepared cylindrical core by applying constant vertical pressure. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Recent excavations at Birbhum district in West Bengal have led to the discovery of an artisans’ village, dating back 3,500 years, notable for its high level of craftsmanship.
Recent excavations at Asuralay village in Mayureshwar 1 Block of West Bengal’s Birbhum district have revealed an artisans’ village, dating back to the proto-historic period. Even though the site is yet to be dated, archaeologists believe that the settlement existed sometime between 2000 BCE and 1000 BCE. The various tools and artefacts unearthed in the excavation carried out by archaeologists of the University of Calcutta threw light not only on the high level of craftsmanship of the people of the region but also on the activities in the oldest settlements of Bengal.
Rajat Sanyal, head of the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta, who led the excavation, in one of the trenches. - Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Rajat Sanyal, head of the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta, who led the excavation, said: “In March 2015, we were exploring the Mayurakshi-Dwaraka interfluvial zone in Birbhum when, based on local information, we got to know of a huge mound known as Asurdanga in a village called Asuralay. We found on the surface black and red ware (BRW) pottery, that is unanimously accepted as the general ceramic type of the proto-historic period in different parts of the country. In Bengal, this period is dated between the early second millennium BCE and the early first millennium BCE.” Other kinds of pottery were also present in the site, including red ware, black ware and buff ware (pottery of a yellowish colour). The excavation began in March this year and concluded in April.
DISCOVERY OF ARTEFACTS
The most striking discovery in the excavation was the large number of beads of different shapes and sizes made of semi-precious stones, microlithic stone tools, and raw materials to make the artefacts. There was also evidence of extensive burning activities throughout the excavated trenches, indicating large-scale production of artefacts. “We found four ovens in a row, and huge quantities of charcoal and burnt patches on top of extensive mud floors on which production activities would take place. Large sections of these floors were still intact. What we found was probably the working area of the settlement,” said Sanyal.
The materials discovered showed a very high level of skill in the craftsmen of the settlement. Among the materials recovered was a tiny, perfectly made bead of just 1.5 mm size, with a hole in its centre for a thread to pass through. This microscopic piece of art is made of chalcedony and produced from the most primitive stone tools. “I really cannot answer how something as delicate as this could have survived thousands of years. It is a marvel how they could have created something like this,” said Sanyal. The biggest piece of bead that has been found in the site is 3.2 cm long, and made of carnelian.
The stone tools that the people of the settlement used to make the artefacts were mostly made of chert and quartz. Some of the tools were also made from bones of animals. Sanyal pointed out that the craftsmen had a specific technique, known as fluting, for making these stone tools. This technique involves slicing out uniform blades from a prepared cylindrical core by applying constant vertical pressure. “This technique is very common to many protohistoric sites in central India and the Deccan. But in Bengal we do not have enough evidence of this technique being used in the protohistoric period,” said Sanyal.
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SUHRID SANKAR CHATTOPADHYAY
Print edition : June 22, 2018 T+ T-
The excavation mound. The materials discovered included semi-precious stone beads of different shapes and sizes and microlithic stone tools. Photo: PHOTOGRAPHS: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Black and red ware. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta
Carnelian bead. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Chalcedony bead. This microscopic piece of art was produced from the most primitive stone tools. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Fluted core in stone. Fluting is a technique that involves slicing out uniform blades from a prepared cylindrical core by applying constant vertical pressure. Photo: Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Recent excavations at Birbhum district in West Bengal have led to the discovery of an artisans’ village, dating back 3,500 years, notable for its high level of craftsmanship.
Recent excavations at Asuralay village in Mayureshwar 1 Block of West Bengal’s Birbhum district have revealed an artisans’ village, dating back to the proto-historic period. Even though the site is yet to be dated, archaeologists believe that the settlement existed sometime between 2000 BCE and 1000 BCE. The various tools and artefacts unearthed in the excavation carried out by archaeologists of the University of Calcutta threw light not only on the high level of craftsmanship of the people of the region but also on the activities in the oldest settlements of Bengal.
Rajat Sanyal, head of the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta, who led the excavation, in one of the trenches. - Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta.
Rajat Sanyal, head of the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta, who led the excavation, said: “In March 2015, we were exploring the Mayurakshi-Dwaraka interfluvial zone in Birbhum when, based on local information, we got to know of a huge mound known as Asurdanga in a village called Asuralay. We found on the surface black and red ware (BRW) pottery, that is unanimously accepted as the general ceramic type of the proto-historic period in different parts of the country. In Bengal, this period is dated between the early second millennium BCE and the early first millennium BCE.” Other kinds of pottery were also present in the site, including red ware, black ware and buff ware (pottery of a yellowish colour). The excavation began in March this year and concluded in April.
DISCOVERY OF ARTEFACTS
The most striking discovery in the excavation was the large number of beads of different shapes and sizes made of semi-precious stones, microlithic stone tools, and raw materials to make the artefacts. There was also evidence of extensive burning activities throughout the excavated trenches, indicating large-scale production of artefacts. “We found four ovens in a row, and huge quantities of charcoal and burnt patches on top of extensive mud floors on which production activities would take place. Large sections of these floors were still intact. What we found was probably the working area of the settlement,” said Sanyal.
The materials discovered showed a very high level of skill in the craftsmen of the settlement. Among the materials recovered was a tiny, perfectly made bead of just 1.5 mm size, with a hole in its centre for a thread to pass through. This microscopic piece of art is made of chalcedony and produced from the most primitive stone tools. “I really cannot answer how something as delicate as this could have survived thousands of years. It is a marvel how they could have created something like this,” said Sanyal. The biggest piece of bead that has been found in the site is 3.2 cm long, and made of carnelian.
The stone tools that the people of the settlement used to make the artefacts were mostly made of chert and quartz. Some of the tools were also made from bones of animals. Sanyal pointed out that the craftsmen had a specific technique, known as fluting, for making these stone tools. This technique involves slicing out uniform blades from a prepared cylindrical core by applying constant vertical pressure. “This technique is very common to many protohistoric sites in central India and the Deccan. But in Bengal we do not have enough evidence of this technique being used in the protohistoric period,” said Sanyal.
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Latest
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I'm not too knowledgable about Bengali history... Any thoughts @Species @TopCat @UKBengali
@Indus Pakistan @Talwar e Pakistan @Nilgiri @AUSTERLITZ @Mugwop @AyanRay @Aryan0395 @Levina @Taimur Khurram @Talwar e Pakistan @niaz @Theparadox @DANCING GIRL @third eye @Tshering22 @Rajesh Kumar @Suriya @HariPrasad @surya kiran @jaiind @Śakra @Tea addict @Peaceful Civilian @pothead @KapitaanAli @Rollno21 @Sam. @Tom M @Cherokee @scorpionx @KAL-EL @KAMDEV @SuvarnaTeja @Desert Fox @war&peace @Peshwa @OsmanAli98
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