[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989) › v1.c9.s18.t3.25 # An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.t3.25 An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.t3.25 - **Language:** English ### [v1.c9.s18.t3.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c9.s18.t3.25) The site of BESNAGAR, ancient Vidiśā, well-known for the Garuḍa pillar of Heliodoros, was excavated by the ASI in 1964-5 and subsequent years, giving a sequence of historical cultures from the PGW to the 2nd-3rd century A.D. However the excavation was carried out mainly to know more about the Garuḍa pillar and associated remains, if any. Pd I was Chalcolithic \[4.14.5\], but in its upper levels were encountered sherds of the PGW. The next Pd could be dated on the basis of NBPW and punch-marked coins. The remains of a temple with a superstructure of timber and a \*pradakṣiṇā-patha\* belonged to this Pd. In the next Pd, assigned to Śuṅga times, the temple was marked by a brick platform on a raised plinth. The Heliodoros pillar could be stratigraphically assigned to this Pd. Excavation revealed that there was a regular alignment of seven pits with the remains of pillar and capital fragments, thereby suggesting that the Heliodoros pillar was one of the seven in a row. The final Pd was characterized by Kṣatrapa coins. - [Previous: v1.c9.s18.t3.24](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c9.s18.t3.24) - [Next: v1.c9.s18.t3.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c9.s18.t3.26) - [Up: v1.c9.s18.t3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c9.s18.t3) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c9.s18.t3.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c9.s18.t3.25) · Pramāṇa