An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c19.s1.35

v1.c19.s1.35

(vii) Gujarat. The mainland of Gujarat is essentially the Tapti-Narmada mouth under the shadow of the W. Ghats and the Aravallis while in the peninsulas of Kutch and Kathiawar the c. part is a hilly knob with a radial drainage pattern and a strip of alluvium around the coast. Settlements are well-defined with the Harappans, and excavations have been carried out at such sites as LOTHAL, RANGPUR, PRABHAS PATAN, AMRA, LAKHABAWAL, ROJDI, BHAGATRAV, MALWAN, DESALPUR and SURKOTADA, all of which elaborate the nature of Harappa and post-Harappa occupation in Gujarat. The post-Harappa cultural situation seems to be a fragmented one, characterized by diverse ceramic complexes including the distinctive Lustrous Red Ware [11.9]. The early historical NBPW [11.16] appears in the upper levels of a black-and-red ware phase at sites like BROACH, NAGAL, PRABHAS PATAN, etc. The nature of early historical occupation in Gujarat [4.18.2] is only briefly understood, and whatever evidence is available is obtained from BROACH, SHAMALAJI, DWARAKA, etc. Gujarat was firmly within the Mauryan hegemony and had lured most of the important succeeding political powers because of its position in India's w.