An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s5.25

v1.c9.s5.25

In the middle levels of LANGHNAJ a copper knife was found. It probably came from a Harappa site in Saurashtra or Kutch [4.9]. In Phase II of BAGOR several copper arrowheads, a spearhead and a copper awl, handmade pottery and numerous stone beads were found. All these indicate contact with agricultural communities. The arrowheads are of triangular, concave-based and barbed variety and are identical in form to the arrowheads known from several Harappa sites. Some of the pottery forms bear close affinities to the pottery of the KAYATHA culture [11.7] in Mewar and Malwa. At BHIMBETKA sherds of painted Chalcolithic pottery of Malwa tradition [11.10] as also copper objects have been found in the middle levels of the Mesolithic deposits. What used to be formerly described as ‘microliths with pottery’ should, in the light of our new knowledge, be seen to represent a dynamic culture-contact situation between the Stone Age hunter-gatherers and/or pastoralists and the regular agriculturists. In the top levels of several Mesolithic sites are found iron arrow heads and plain wheel-made pottery of early historical tradition. At LEKHAHIA several iron arrowheads and plain pottery were found. Similar evidence occurs in several shelters at BHIMBETKA. At LANGHNAJ also an iron arrowhead occurred in the top level of the deposit along with plentiful wheel-made pottery.