Paper No. : 03 Archaeological Anthropology Module : 14 Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution Development Team Principal Investigator Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Paper Coordinator Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Dr. Ashutosh Saxena, Content Writer Archeological Survey of India, Delhi Content Reviewer Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi 1 Archaeological Anthropology Anthropology Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution Description of Module Subject Name Anthropology Paper Name 03 Archaeological Anthropology Module Name/Title Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution Module Id 14 2 Archaeological Anthropology Anthropology Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution Table of contents: 1. Chalcolithic Culture Of India: 2. Kayatha 3. Ahar 4. Malwa 5. Jorwe 6. Chronology Of Chalcolithic Cultures 7. Iron Age 7.1 Northern India 7.2 Eastern India 7.3 Central India & Deccan 7.4 South India: Learning Outcomes To understand the chalcolithic culture of India To know about the different sites of that time To know about the chronology of that time To gain knowledge about India during the Iron Age 3 Archaeological Anthropology Anthropology Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution 1. CHALCOLITHIC CULTURE OF INDIA: The cultures which use both copper and stones as tools are called Chalcolithic Cultures (a period known as Copper Age). These chalcolithic cultures in India are rural cultures, which do not differ much in Economy but have a very distinct ceramic tradition. These chalcolithic cultures originated during 2nd millennium B.C.E. V. Gordon Childe in his work “What Happened in History” has discussed in detail the development and advantages associated with the use of Copper. In principle this phase is applied to the pre- Harappans, but a large number of Chalcolithic cultures appeared after the decline of Harappans with distinct regional characteristics. These chalcolithic cultures appear largely in isolation from Harappan civilization. On the basis of the material remains unearthed during excavations at various sites, the sequence of the chalcolithic sites can be given as: 1. Kayatha Chalcolitic Culture 2. Ahar Chalcolitic Culture 3. Malwa Chalcolitic Culture 4. Jorwe Chalcolitic Culture 2. KAYATHA: (Type Site) Discovered by Shri V.S. Wakankar ₪ Distribution – The region of Malwa Plateau fed by Rivers Tapti, Mahi the tributaries of Narmada and rivers Chambal and Betwa the tributaries of River Yamuna. ₪ Sites – the important chalcolithic sites of this region are Eran, Dist. Sagar; Ujjain, Dist Ujjain and Kayatha, Dist. Ujjain; Navdatoli. ₪ Pottery – the typical Kayatha ware is fine, sturdy and wheel made and has linear paintings designs in violet on a deep brown slip. Approximately 80% of the pottery is handmade. This ware is associated with the red-painted buff ware and red-combed ware. The other pottery traditions of Malwa are Greyish Black ware, coarse red ware and Tan ware. ₪ Tools and other Antiquities – The copper tools include two axes which were made by moulding technique. Apart for these 28 bangles of copper were also found. Two necklaces made of agate, crystal with 160 and 175 beads respectively are worth mentioning. 40,000 micro-steatite beads found in a pot are the important antiquities found from the excavations. 4 Archaeological Anthropology Anthropology Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution KAYATHA: (27°78' N, 78 00' E) The site is situated approximately 25 km north from Ujjain on the bank of River Kali Sindhu. It was discovered by V.S. Vakankar in 1964 and later excavated it in 1965-67. The excavations at the site laid bare a 12 m cultural deposit which is divided into 5 cultural periods. 1. Kayatha Cuture (2000-1800 B.C) 2. Ahar Culture (1700-1500 B.C) Pre Iron Age 3. Malwa Culture (1500-1200 B.C) 4. Early Historic Period (600-200 B.C) (Iron Age) 5. Sunga-Kushana-Gupta Period (200 B.C. – 600 A.D ₪ Houses - the authors of this culture used big wooden planks in the form of pillars. The walls of the houses were made of bamboo sticks and were plastered with mud both from inside and outside. No example of unbaked or baked bricks has been notices. The plan of the houses were square, circular or rectangular. The floor was plastered with cow-dung and then was painted with lime. Evidences of earthen pots, pestles and hearths were found at almost all the sites of this culture. 3. AHAR: (Type Site) Excavated by R.C. Agrawal during 1952-54. ₪ Distribution – the site of this culture are distributed in Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Ajmer, Jaipur of Rajasthan; Mandsor and Ujjain districts of M.P. ₪ Sites – the important Ahar culture sites are Balathal, dist. Udaipur; Ahar in dist. Udaipur; Gilund in Dist. Chittorgarh; ₪ Pottery – the authors of Ahar culture used various pottery traditions. These pottery traditions are divided into 7 groups. Out of these the black-and-red ware pottery is the characteristic pottery tradition of Ahar culture. The pottery traditions of Period IA at Ahar are buff ware, black-and-red ware, polished grey ware and red ware. The Period IB shows the discontinuance of buff ware but other pottery traditions continues. Another specific characteristic of this sub-period is the Stone Ware. ₪ Tools – the tools of copper were made by striking the copper sheets. The main copper tools include Flat copper celts, knives, bangles, rings and copper rods. The authors of Ahar received 5 Archaeological Anthropology Anthropology Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution copper from the Khetri mines of Jhunjhunu. R.C. Agrawal identified two sites namely Matoon and Umra nearly 12 km from Ahar where evidences of copper smelting was done. ₪ Housing Complexes – the authors of Ahar culture used stones and mud for building their houses. Stones were used to build the foundation of the houses. The walls were made of unbaked bricks and stones as evidenced from Balathal. On the basis of the plans of the houses it can be said that some of the houses were quite big. Houses were made in rectangular or square shapes. Gilund has reported the use of burnt bricks (which is an important evidence apart from the sites of Indus civilization. ₪ Agriculture and Animal husbandry – the economy was based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Evidences of charred grains, impression of husk are reported from the excavations. Rice was the main crop, apart from it evidences of gram, moong, wheat, and barley are also reported. Remains of cow, buffalo, goat, sheep and pig were found in the excavations. 4. MALWA: It is more relevant to call this culture as Navdatoli Chalcolithic Culture as the Ahar Culture (by its type site) because the evidences of this culture were first reported from the excavations at Navdatoli and later from Maheshwar. ₪ Distribution – this culture is distributed in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. ₪ Sites – Important sites of this culture are Navdatoli, Maheshwar, Nagda, Eran, Manoti and Dangwara in Madhya Pradesh; and Bahal, Songaon, Chandoli, Prakash, Inamgaon and Daimabad in Maharashtra. ₪ Pottery – the pottery of this culture is mainly represented by four traditions but the representative tradition of this culture is the light red or pink pottery with paintings in black. The prevalent pottery types are dishes with base, pedestalled cups, troughs, shallow dishes, Lota, pots etc. ₪ Tools and other Antiquities – the used of copper in Malwa culture was rather limited. Among the copper implements are Flat Celts, fish hooks, dagger and bangles etc. MAHESHWAR-NAVDATOLI: (2211' N, 7536' E) Excavated by H.D. Sankalia during 1952-54 and later in Several stone hand axes have been 1957-59. The excavations revealed 5 cultural periods reported from the upper levels of which are:- Navdatoli. Beads of Agate, jasper, 1. Chalcolithic Period (1500-1200 BC) carnelian, shell and faience. 2. Early Historic Period (400-100 BC) Bangles of terracotta, ear-rings of 3. Early Historic Period (100 BC-200 AD) copper etc. were also reported from 4. Late Historical Period (200-500 AD) 5. Medieval (Muslim-Maratha) Period most of the sites. ₪ Housing Complexes – the authors of this culture used wooden planks in their houses as pillars. The walls were made of bamboo 6 Archaeological Anthropology Anthropology Copper and Iron age: Features and Distribution sticks which were plastered with mud. No evidence of bricks (either burnt of unburnt) were noticed. The houses were circular, square or rectangular in plan. Excavations at Inamgaon and Daimabad have laid bare the evidence of Pit-Dwellings, which at times had stairs as in the case of Inamgaon. 28 housing complexes have been reported from Daimabad which have been categorized with specific names bases on the material evidences like the workshop, craftsman house, priest‟s house, religious house etc. ₪ Agriculture and Animal Husbandry – evidences of barley, wheat, gram, masoor, peas, rice, moong, urad etc. have been reported from the sites. Amongst the animals are the cow, buffalo, goat, sheep etc. Bones of deer and wild pig show that hunting of wild animals were also in vogue. 5. JORWE: (Type Site) ₪ Distribution – In Maharashtra the sedentary rural life starts with the Chalcolithic Cultures. Leaving aside some parts of Vidharbha and Konkan all the other parts have laid bare the evidences of Malwa culture still Jorwe culture seems to be the specific culture of Maharashtra. ₪ Sites – the excavated sites of this culture are Prakash, Savaldah and Kauthe in District Dhule; Tekwada in District Jalgaon; Tuljapurgarhi in District Amravati; Daimabad, Nevasa, Nasik, Jorwe, Songaon and Apegaon in District Ahmednagar; Inamgaon, Chandoli and Walki in District Pune. ₪ Pottery – Many pottery traditions were prevalent in Jorwe culture out of which some started with the Jorwe; some pottery traditions were already present which the Jorwe people accepted which includes the Malwa pottery tradition. The Jorwe pottery tradition is very distinct pottery types and ornamentation and also the technology.