An Archaeological and Geospatial Investigation of Lost Forts and Fortalices in Yamuna Valley with Special Reference to Vairat and Mungra Forts in Garhwal (Central) Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India Nagendra S. Rawat1 1. Department of History and Archaeology, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal – 246 174, Uttarakhand, India (Email:
[email protected]) Received: 13 June 2018; Revised: 24 August 2018; Accepted: 01 October 2018 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 6 (2018): 872‐886 Abstract: The medieval forts, called Garh or Garhi in Garhwal, Uttarakhand which were raised in the mountainous terrain around 1000‐1500 AD have never attracted the attention of historians and archaeologists alike. To fill this gap the present work carried out multidisciplinary investigation combining remote Sensing and GIS with archaeology to examine the structural, defensive aspects and the distribution pattern of medieval forts, particularly the Mungra and Vairat fort in Yamuna valley, Western Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The present study has wide ramifications in understanding the role of forts and fortalices in the medieval warfare and defensive practices in Garhwal Uttarakhand. Keywords: Garhwal, Himalaya, Yamuna Valley, Fort, Satellite Image, GIS, Archaeology Introduction The tradition of fortification played an important role in history of human settlements as it has always been a prime necessity of all times (Mishra 2008: 5). Archaeological explorations and excavations yielded various kind of forts worldwide which were constructed during different periods of history. But at the same time, it is important to point out that the size, location and architectural pattern of the forts varies due to the geographical condition of the area and availability of natural resources.