[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) › v2.c28.558 # An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c28.558 An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c28.558 - **Language:** English ### [v2.c28.558](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c28.558) The ruins at Ayodhyā have a circuit of about 4 to 5 km and rise at places to a height of about 10 m above the surrounding ground-level. Exploratory trenches have so far been put at about half-a-dozen spots which include the famous Janma-bhūmi area and lands close to Hanuman Garhi, Sita-ki-Rasoi, Asharfi Mahal, etc. Since areas close to the river, which might (or might not) reveal a still earlier occupation yet remain to be thoroughly examined, the final word about the antiquity of the site has to wait. On the basis of the excavations carried out so far, it appears that the site came under occupation at a time when the NBPW \[11.16\] of a very fine quality and in a variety of shades—steel-grey, blue, silvery and golden—was in use. It is now possible to distinguish at least two stages in the history of this ware, and the first occupation at Ayodhyā would belong to the earlier stage. Alongside the NBPW, grey ware with simple linear decorations in fugitive black colour—evidently a developed form of the PGW \[11.14\]—was also in use. The houses were made of wattle-and-daub or of mud. The use of kiln-burnt brick for house construction was not in evidence. Both iron and copper were in use. Although no ¹⁴C dates for the earliest levels of Ayodhyā are yet available, those obtained from other sites like MATHURA, NOH, etc., on the one hand and KAUŚĀMBĪ on the other show that with proper MASCA correction \[5.3\] the beginning of the NBPW may go back to \*circa\* 7th century B.C., if not earlier. - [Previous: v2.c28.557](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c28.557) - [Next: v2.c28.559](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c28.559) - [Up: v2.c28](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c28) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c28.558](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v2.c28.558) · Pramāṇa