Indian Archaeology 1965-66 a Review
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INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1965-66 —A REVIEW EDITED BY A. GHOSH Director General Archaeological Survey of India ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA GOVERNMENT OF INDIA NEW DELHI 1973 Cover: Tabo monastery, District Lahul and Spiti. The Buddhist gomphas, built out of mud-brick and pressed clay, preserve specimens of excellent paintings of circa eleventh century and later reminiscent of the Ajanta tradition. See p. 36. 1973 COPYRIGHT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF I N D I A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Price : Rupees Twenty PRINTED AT NABA MUDRAN PRIVATE LTD., CALCUTTA-4. CONTENTS PAGE I. Explorations and excavations ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Andhra Pradesh, 1; Assam, 6; Bihar, 6; Goa, Daman and Diu, 11; Gujarat, 12; Jammu and Kashmir, 19; Kerala, 21; Madhya Pradesh, 21; Madras, 24; Maharashtra, 27; Mysore, 32; North East Frontier Agency, 35; Orissa, 35; Punjab, 35; Rajasthan, 38; Uttar Pradesh, 41; West Bengal, 55. II. Epigraphy ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 Sanskrit and Dravidic inscriptions, 61. Andhra Pradesh, 61; Delhi, 61; Goa, Daman and Diu, 61; Kerala, 62; Madhya Pradesh, 62; Madras, 63; Maharashtra, 64; Mysore, 65; Orissa, 66; Pondicherry, 66; Rajasthan, 67; Uttar Pradesh, 68. Arabic and Persian inscriptions, 69. Andhra Pradesh, 69; Bihar, 69; Kerala, 69; Madhya Pradesh, 70; Maharashtra, 71; Mysore, 72; Rajasthan, 72; Uttar Pradesh, 74. III. Numismatics and treasure-trove ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 76 Andhra Pradesh, 76; Bihar, 76; Kerala, 76; Madhya Pradesh, 76; Maharashtra, 76; Orissa, 77; Rajasthan, 77; Uttar Pradesh, 78. IV. Other Important Discoveries ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 79 Andhra Pradesh, 79; Bihar, 79; Goa, Daman and Diu, 80; Gujarat, 80; Kerala, 80; Madhya Pradesh, 80; Maharashtra, 82; Mysore, 82; Punjab, 82; Rajasthan, 82; Tripura, 83; Uttar Pradesh, 84; West Bengal, 84. V. Radiocarbon dates ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 86 1. Date-List, 86. Andhra Pradesh, 86; Bihar, 86; Gujarat, 87; Jammu and Kashmir, 87; Madhya Pradesh, 87; Madras, 88; Maharashtra, 88; Mysore, 89; Punjab, 90; Uttar Pradesh, 90. 2. Highlights of the dates, 92. VI. Museums ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 94 VII. Architectural Survey of Temples ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 104 Northern Region, 104; Southern Region, 106 VIII. Expeditions Outside India ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 108 Afghanistan, 108. Epigraphy, 108; Preservation of monuments, 108. Nepal, 108. Archaeological Chemistry, 108. IX. Preservation of monuments ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 110 Monuments of National Importance, 110. Central Circle, 110; Eastern Circle, 111; Frontier Circle, 113; Mid-eastern Circle, 114; Northern Circle, 115; North-western Circle, 118; South-eastern Circle, 119; Southern Circle, 120; South-western Circle, 120; Western Circle, 121. Monuments maintained by States, 122. Gujarat, 122; Kerala, 122; Madras, 123; Orissa, 123; Maharashtra, 123; Rajasthan, 123; Uttar Pradesh, 123; West Bengal, 124. X. Archaeological Chemistry ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 125 Treatment of monuments and paintings, 125. Andhra Pradesh, 125; Assam, 125; Bihar, 125; Delhi, 125; Gujarat, 125; Himachal Pradesh, 125; Kerala, 126; Madras, 126; Madhya Pradesh, 126; Maharashtra, 127; Mysore, 127; Orissa, 127. Treatment of excavated objects and museum exhibits, 129. Analyses and research, 130. XI. Archaeological gardens ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 131 Andhra Pradesh, 131; Bihar, 131; Delhi, 131; Goa, Daman and Diu, 132; Kerala, 132; Madhya Pradesh, 132; Maharashtra, 132; Mysore, 132; Orissa, 133; Rajasthan, 133; Uttar Pradesh, 134. XII. Publications ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 135 Publications of the Survey, 135. Other publications, 135. PREFACE It may be recalled that in the Preface to the Review for 1964-65, which was publi- shed in 1968, Shri A. Ghosh, the then Director General,, wrote that it was the last number edited by him. Yet, before he actually laid down the reins of his office, he could snatch time to sec through the manuscript of the present number of the Review which bears the stamp of his able editorship. On me has devolved the pleasant duty of sending the work to the press and its release indeed marks a significant step in clearing the backlog. I am glad to acknowledge the help given to me by all the contributors to this Review, who are responsible for the factual information as well as for the interpretation of the data furnished by them. I am also thankful to my colleagues, Sarvashri B. K. Thapar, B. M. Pande and S. R. Varma for the pains taken by them in seeing the work through the press. M. N. DESHPANDE New Delhi February 15, 1973 INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1965-66 —A REVIEW I. EXPLORATIONS AND EXCAVATIONS ANDHRA PRADESH 1. EXPLORATION IN DISTRICT ANANTAPUR.—Shri V. R. Reddy of the Deccan College Post-graduate and Research Institute, Poona, explored the District and discovered Late Stone Age sites at: (i) Anantapur, a little west and south-west of the Police Training College, by the side of the right bank of a seasonal stream called Nadimi-Vanka; (ii) Dorigal, located on the northern bank of Maddileru river, about 64 km. south-east of Anantapur and 10 km. north-west of Anantapur-Madanapalle road; (iii) Tadpatri, about 53 km. north-east of Anantapur on the southern bank of the Penner river and l£ km. east of the great temple of Sri-Ramalingeswaraswami; and (iv) Udiripikonka, about 34 km. north-west of Anan- tapur on the road to Bellary, in a locality called Musalammachenu, and close to the southern bank of a perennial stream called Marri-Vanka. One hundred and eight artefacts comprising cores, flakes, blade-flakes, lunates and scrapers were collected from these four sites. Besides, two other Late Stone Age sites—Bogasamudram and Muchukota, both in Taluk Tadpatri, the first lying about 13 km. north, and the second 16 km. south of Tadpatri, were also visited. These sites were originally explored and reported by Robert Bruce Foote, who, however, had not given the exact location of the former site and had treated it as unimportant. The present survey was made about \ km. east of the village, on the right bank of the perennial stream Bugga-Venka, a tributary of the Penner river, in the inam land of Anjaneyaswami of Bogasamudram. The site covers a large area and yielded two hundred and twenty-two artefacts including cores, flakes, blades, a fine point and scrapers. In addition, twenty neolithic sites and two ash-mounds were also discovered. Further, eleven sites, reported earlier by Foote, were revisited for making fresh collections. In the former group, five sites were found to possess ash-mounds by the side of neolithic settlements, while two others consisted only of ash-mounds. More than sixteen hundred implements comprising celts in various stages of manufacture, adzes, axe-hammers, chisels, hammer- stones, grooved hammer-stones, fabricators, pounders, hammer-ram-rubbing stones, rubbers, slings, scrapers and flakes were collected. Nearly a thousand microliths were also obtained from these sites. The pottery associated with these neolithic tools consisted chiefly of grey ware, both burnished and unburnished, and ranging in colour from pale to dull-grey. Some of it was ochre-painted. Besides, a few sherds of the perforated grey ware were also found. Other 1 INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGY 1965-66—A REVIEW fabrics in this assemblage included buff, brown-and-black, red and black-and-red wares. A solitary sherd of a black-painted red ware from the Katamadevndu hill deserves special mention. A table listing the names of neolithic sites and ash-mounds is appended below, i he sites originally discovered by Foote are marked with asterisks. Site Taluk Location Akkammakonda Kalyandrug About 2 km. NE. of Kalyandrug Andepalli —do— About 22 km. SE. of Kalyandrug Budagavi Hill Urarvakonda About 55 km. NW. of Anantapur Buthamahal Hill —do— ------do-------------------------- Chinna- Dandukonda Anantapur About 20 km. NE. of Anantapur Donekal North-east Uravakonda About 20 km. W. of Guntakal About 15 km. W. of Guntakal Gadekal South-west —do— About 15 km. W. of Guntakal Gadekal North-west —do— —do— About 22 km. NE. of Uravakonda Gulapalyam About 67 km. NW. of Anantapur —do— Havaligi* About 10 km. NW. of Kalyandrug Hulikal Kalyandrug About 5 km. W. of Kalyandrug Idukal —do— About –1/2 km. W. of Havaligi Kalyandrug Fort —do— Karakumukkala Uravakonda About 5 km. S. of Vidupanakal Katamadevudu Hill* Dharmavaram About 21 km. SE. of Anantapur Kunduripi Kalyandrug About 30 km. SW. of Kalyandrug Lattavaram Hill* Uravakonda About 51 km. SW. of Anantapur Mallappakonda —do— About 56 km. NW. of Anantapur Mallapuram —do— About 68 km. NW. of Anantapur Mallipalli Kalyandrug About 12 km. SE. of Kalyandrug Mudigal About 5 km. E. of Kalyandrug Peddadandukonda* Anantapur About 20 km. NE. of Anantapur Pallavoy Kalyandrug About 8 km. SE. of Kalyandrug Pillalapalli Kalyandrug About 12 km. NW. of Kalyandrug Rayadrug Rayadrug About 90 km. W. of Anantapur Uidupanakal West* Uravakonda About 70 km. NW. of Anantapur Uravakonda* Uravakonda About 53 km. NW. of Anantapur Vajrakarur* —do- About 58 km. N W. of Anantapur and 16 km. S. of Guntakal Vantareddipalli Kalyandrug About 25 km. SE. of Kalyandrug Velpumadugu* Uravakonda About 73 km. NW. of Anantapur Vidupanakal Fort* —do— About 70 km. NW of Anantapur Vitlampalli Kalyandrug About 10 km. NW. of Kalyandrug — do- Yatakal About 9 km. SW. of Kalyandrug (Sites at Andepalli, Hulikal, Mallapuram, Mudigal and Pallavoy have ash-mounds in addition to neolithic habitation-deposits while those at Mallipalli and Vantareddipalli are only ash-mounds. Of these, the sites at Andepalli, Gulapalyam,