Chapter IX ORIGIN and CHRONOLOGY to Understand The
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206 Chapter IX ORIGIN AND CHRONOLOGY To understand the chronological relationship of the chalcolithic sites of Saurashtra, we shall consider the evidences from these sites against the evidences from Lothal and Rangpur, wherever they are available. Most of the evidences consist entirely of pottery and this includes surface collections from these sites. The other evidences comprize chert "blades, cubical weights of agate and terracotta cakes- In order to avoid repe- I tition these evidences have been discussed in this chapter under the sub-heading 'The Harappan culture*, and they are tabulated in the charts 'SX There an attempt has been made to define the nature of the "Saurashtrian Harappan sites'*. In the absence of other evidence pottery which has come from a l l the sites is discussed with a view to providing a relative chronology. Fortunately we have C-14 dates from Somnath, Rojdi and Lothal which are helpful for correlating the chronology of the sites. The sites are divided into two groups : 1) Excavated sites 2) Surface sites I. Re lati]^ chronology of chalcolithic sites of Saurashtra 1. Excavated sites We have C-14 dates from Lothal, but none from Rangpur, therefore, the chronological relationship between Rangpur and 207 Lothal Is based on material culture only* Period A at Lothal has yielded most of the typical Harappan characteristics. The excavated pottery from Lothal is typically Harappan. The fabrics, surface treatment, and the depicted designs and the types are Harappan. The use of bislips like cream and red, buff and red, and of partial slip were known at Lothal as at Mohenjo- daro and Chanhu-daro. A few sherds of ''reserve slipped ware" were also noticed. Cylindrical perforated jars, "S"-shaped tall jars painted in Harappan manner, convex-sided bowls, carinated dishes, dishes-on-stand, thick storage jars of Harappan type, small jars, goblets, and beakers are the Harappan forms. Some of the designs are typically Harappan in nature and occur at Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Chanhu-daro. Along with the Harappan pottery some indigenous types such as stud-handled bowls and small jars also occur. Some provincial designs were also employed on pots. These designs of animals, plants and birds were known to the inhabitants in the Bhal region. This only shows that Lothal was a pure Harappan settlement. Along with these some indigenous elements such as Micaceous Red Ware, Coarse Grey Ware and black- and red ware, stud-handled bowls, the animal and plant designs occur. These elements are found at Rangpur, Somnath, Rojdi, ■Rudhe] and some other sites. But the black-and-red Ware does not occur at all the sites. Stud-handled bowls have been encoun tered from Surkotada. The occurrence of stud-handled bowls at these places would imply a movement of pre-Harappan cultural 208 elements from Baluchistan and Kutch by a land route into Saurashtra. But in the absence of evidence we are unable to postulate more details. In Period B most of the Harappan elements continue, but a marked change occurs in the pottery and the painted designs which were unknown to the Harappan tra d itio n .^ The numbers of 2 seals, sealings, copper objects and chert blades decreased. The decrease in chert blades can be ascribed to the decrease in the import of chert from Sind. In this period Prabhas Ware and Lustrous Red Ware appear, still most of the Harappan elements are present but the decline of this culture is noticed along with some newer elements. On the basis of material culture we may link Rangpur Period II A and II B with the later phases of Lothal Period A and Rojdi Periods I A and probably I B. Rangpur Period II C may be linked with the late phases of Lothal Period B and Rojdi Period I C, and Rangpur Period I I I with Somnath Period I I I (post-Prabhas Period). The excavations at Rangpur have yielded house construc tions, public drains, mud-brick platforms and use of burnt bricks. The seals and sealings are absent. The important features such as the 'citadel',"lower town** and ''granary" are not found so far. In Period II B, houses were built with mud-bricks and mud. The use of burnt bricks was also known, but it was not as 3 extensively used as at Lothal. Chert blades were known, but in 2oy very small numbers- They come from Period II A. This is probably because of a decrease in trade with Lothal in Period B- Etched beads of carnelian, copper objects, cubical weights of agate, and bird whistles are typically Harappan. These objects occur at lothal in Period A as well as in Rojdl Periods I A and T The bird whistles, however, are absent at Rojdi. The pottery of Periods IT A and II B is similar to that of Lothal Period A, and Rojdi Periods I A and probably I B. But at Lothal it occurs in a large quantity, probably because Rangpur was a late, and comparatively smaller Harappan settlement than Lothal. Convex-sided bowls, ”S"-shaped tall jars, dishes * on-stand, carinated dishes, goblets and beakers, thick storage jars, perforated cylindrical jars are the Harappan types which occur at Rangpur and Lothal. At Lothal the *'S" shaped jar is painted in the typical Harappan manner, whereas at Rangpur we do not have such specimens. The use of bislips like cream and \ red, red and light pink, red and buff were also known. This is a Harappan characteristic and was known at Lothal and 'Rudhel. Horizontal bands, loops, fish-scale designs, concentric circles, criss-cross designs, the leaf (not the Pipal leaf) design, pellet designs were depicted In Periods II A and II B at Rangpur. These designs are Harappan in nature and also occur at Lothal Period B- Though some of the typical Harappan designs which are present at Lothal Period A are absent at Rangpur (Table Rojdl represents three phases of the Harappan culture. 210 4 Periods I A, IB , and I C. In Period I A the structures were built with mud and mud-bricks on mud-brick platforms, with a protection wall of big boulders*^ In Period I B the structures were built with rubble, using mud as mortar- Mud structures were also known and the floors were^plastered with lime and were rammed with earth. Mud and mud-brick structures occur at Rangpur in Period II B, but the rubble structures are absent. This is because of ecological reasons since stone is easily available at Rojdi. In the absence of detailed published reports of the Rojdi excavation we do not have sufficient evidence to compare the structures with those of Rangpur. The ceramic industries at Rojdi are : Red Ware, Buff Ware, Micaceous Red Ware, and Grey Ware* Dishes-on-stand, carinated dishes, convex-sided bowls, globular pots, troughs, beakers, cylindrical perforated jars, " S ” -shaped tall jars, stud- handled bowls are the types which occur. Intersecting loops, concentric circles, hatched triangles, leaves and bands are the depicted designs. The types, fabrics, wares and the depicted designs are similar to Rangpur Periods II A and II B and Lothal Period A. Other evidences such as lunates, blades, aijd trapezes of chert, copper, pipes celts, rings and bangles, a spiral gold ring, etched carnelian beads, beads of faience and terracotta, all occur at Lothal in Period A and at Rangpur in Periods II A and II B. Most of these elements continued in Period I B. The agate cubical weight is an important evidence in Rojdi Period 9 11 I B. In Period I G Prabhas Ware appear along with the Harappan types. At Rangpur Prabhas Ware is absent, but 6 appears in Period B at Lethal. Fortunately we have C-14 dates for Rojdi Period I These range between 1870 B.C.-1745 B.C. Therefore, Rojdi Period I A must be earlier than this date, probably C.2000 B.C. at least, which makes it nearly contemporary with the late levels of Phase II A of lothal- Therefore, on the basis of C-14 dates, pottery and other evidences Rojdi Periods I A and I B are probably contemporary with the late levels of Lothal phases ii, iii and iv of Period A. However, other important evidences such as seals, sealings, town-planning and the granary are not found so far, probably because Rojdi was a village settlement dependent on a self-sufficient mixed economy based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Therefore, Rojdi Periods I A and I B on the ceramic and other evidences may be correlated with Rangpur Period II A and II B and with Lothal Period A. Rojdi I C may be linked with Lothal Period B and Somnath Period II (Prabhas period), as Prabhas Ware occurs at both these sites. C-14 dates for this period range between 1650-1515 B.C. Thus Rojdi I C can be linked with the Prabhas period at Somnath and lothal Period B, but is earlier than Rangpur Period II C and III as Lustrous Red Ware is absent at Rojdf. and Is the post- Prabhas Ware at Somnath. Excavations at Somnath have yielded considerable evidence In the earliest phases of Somnath Period I (Pre-Prabhas Period) 212 clubbed-rimmed storage jars, a few sherds of perforated 4 pots, convex-sided bowls, dlshes-on-stand, carinated dishes a and globular medium-sized nots occur along with coarse Corrugaged Grey Ware. These are Harappan elements and indicate that Somnath Period I (Pre-Prabhas Period) was a Harappan settlement. However, unless a large-scale excavation Is carried out we shall know the nature of the Harappan settlement of Somnath.