History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c10.38

v1.c10.38

That there was a distinct Copper age in the pre-historic period of the history of Orissa is proved by the discovery of stray specimens all over the country. The oldest specimen discovered is that on which a grant of the emperor Purushottama (1470-97) of the Sūrya Vaṃśa dynasty was discovered in the Balasore district. This implement is a shouldered axe in the possession of the Bhuiyans of Garhpada about 15 miles north of Balasore. Evidently, at the time of the incision of the record the people of Orissa had no idea about its original function because the writing begins near the cutting edge¹. The next discovery of copper implements was made near Sildah in the parganah of Jhatibani in the Medinipur district. The area in which this implement was discovered certainly belongs to the northern part of Orissa and was transferred along with the modern district of Medinipur to the Ṣūbah of Bengal during the rule of Nawāb Nāẓim Murshid Qulī Khān I.² It is a battle axe of the same type as those discovered at Pachamba in the Hazaribagh district, having a large round cutting edge ending in two well-marked shoulders. It is of the same type as the inscribed copper celt from Balasore. The village of Tamajuri is very near the site where the specimen was discovered.³ The most recent discoveries were recorded in 1916. Several copper axes were discovered at the village of Bhagra Pir on the banks of the Gulpha river in the Mayurbhañj State. The shape of these axes is extraordinary. They are very thin and in addition to the cutting edge, which is larger than a semicircle, there is another semicircular projection on the top, which is connected with the former by a narrow neck. The largest specimen measures 18 1/2 inches in length and 15 3/4 inches in breadth, the second one 10 inches by 8 1/2 inches and the third one 10 1/2 inches by 7 inches. According to Mr. C. T. Trechmann they are of an extraordinary thinness. The Mayurabhanj axes were certainly battle axes but of a particularly different type.¹