An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c32: E

An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c32

Language: English

E

v2.c32.1

**Ebgodu (Mand)**, Dt Nilgiri. Megalithic [4.17.9] site. Sewell, R., 1882, *Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras*, Madras. p. 226.

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**Edakkal**, Dt Kozhikode. Neolithic [4.6.10] and Megalithic [4.17.10] site. Fawcett, H.F., 1901, in *Indian Antiquary*, 30, pp. 409-21.

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**Edakulathur**, Dt Trichur. Megalithic [4.17.10] site with urn burials. *IAR 1967-8*.

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**Edalabad**, Dt Jalgaon. Middle Stone Age (Middle Palaeolithic [4.3]) site. *IAR 1965-6*.

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**Edappa**, Dt Palghat. Megalithic [4.17.10] site with cists. *IAR 1968-9*.

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**Edearcoupom**, Pondicherry. Megalithic [4.17.9] site. Casal, J.-M., & C., 1956, *Site urbain et Sites funéraires des Environs de Pondichéry*, Paris.

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**Edutara**, Dt Malappuram. Megalithic site with dolmens and menhirs [4.17.10]. Sewell, R., 1882, *Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras*, Madras.

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**Eksamba**, Dt Belgaum. Chalcolithic [4.14.8] site with remnants of an ash mound [14.3]. *Prof. P. B. Desai Felicitation Volume*, Dharwad, 1971, pp. 4-30.

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**Elambaulassery**, Dt Palghat. A circular cave with a top opening and with two vases of the Black-and-red Ware [11.15.3]. *IAR 1967-8*.

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**Elampulaseri**, Dt Malappuram. Megalithic site with dolmens [4.17.10]. Sewell, R., 1882, *Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras*, Madras.

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**Elana** (25°31′; 73°36′), Dt Jalore. The site, 5 km from Jalore on the bank of the river Jawai, yielded a flat copper celt [4.11]. See 9·2. Agrawala, R.C., 1979, in *Man & Environment*, 3, p. 92.

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**Elanad**, Dt Trichur. Megalithic [4.17.10] site. *IAR 1972-3*.

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**Elathur**, Dt Coimbatore. Megalithic cairn circles [4.17.9]. *IAR 1962-3*.

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**Elavamalai**, Dt Coimbatore. Megalithic cist burials [4.17.9] and Russet-coated Painted Ware [11.22]. *IAR 1961-2*.

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**Elavancherry**, Dt Palghat, Megalithic [4.17.10] site with dolmens. *IAR 1969-70*.

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**Eletattumattamba**, Dt Malappuram. Megalithic site with dolmens [4.17.10]. Sewell, R., 1882, *Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras*, Madras.

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**Ellampalle**, Dt Chittoor. Early Stone Age (Lower Palaeolithic [4.2]) tools and dolmens [4.17.7]. *IAR 1962-3*.

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**Ellora**, Dt Aurangabad. Upper Palaeolithic [4.4], Mesolithic [4.5] and Chalcolithic [4.14.6] remains. Soundara Rajan, K.V., & Sen Gupta, R., 1962, in *Marathawada Univ. Jour.*, 2, pp. 67-76.

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**Emamoompur**, Dt Anantapur. Pointed-butt polished stone axes [4.6.8]. *AI*, 4, 1947-8, p. 296.

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**Enikal Mand**, Dt Nilgiri. Megalithic sites with cairns [4.17.8]. Sewell, R., 1882, *Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras*, Madras.

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**Enusonai**, Dt Dharmapuri. Megalithic burial [4.17.9] site. *IAR 1969-70*.

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**Erachh**, Dt Jhansi. NBPW [11.16] was found at the site, 61 km n. e. of Jhansi on the right bank of the Betwa, together with large-sized bricks with finger marks. *IAR 1955-6*.

**Eran** (24°5′; 78°10′), Dt Sagar, on the s. bank of the river Bina (ancient Veṇvā), a tributary of the Betwa (Vetravatī). A. Cunningham first brought to light its rich architectural, epigraphic and numismatic remains (*ASI-AR*, 7, pp. 88-90; 10, pp. 77-90; 14, pp. 148-9). He discovered a number of copper punch-marked coins and a few inscribed die-struck and cast coins [3.1] some of them bearing the name Erakanya or Erakaña in early Brāhmī script. Inscriptions of Samudragupta of the Gupta dynasty, of Toramāṇa the Hūṇa ruler and of the time of the late Gupta Bhānugupta establish its ancient name as Airakiṇa, an administrative unit of Ākara (e. Malwa). A Viṣṇu temple built during the rule Candragupta II is simple in style and possesses a roof with an interior decorated with lotus and ornamented pillars bearing the *pūrṇa-ghaṭa*, scrolls and *kīrttimukha* motifs, with a Garuḍa pillar in front of the main shrine. Loose sculptures of Brāhmaṇical deities also bespeak the religious importance of the place.

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The potentiality of the town possessing a much earlier habitation was revealed when excavation was undertaken at the site during 1960-5 by the Univ. of Saugar under K.D. Bajpai (*IAR 1960-1*, p. 17; *1961-2*, p. 24; *1962-3*, p. 11; *1963-4*, p. 15; *1964-5*, p. 16), which has proved that Eran had been occupied since Chalcolithic [4.14.5] times. The ancient settlement was seen to span the entire natural curve of the river Bina and was represented by a series of rolling mounds ranging in height from 6·10 to 12·20 m, of which the maximum habitation deposit was 8·84 m. The site has been subjected to much erosion creating deep and wide cavities which has made it difficult to get the maximum results.

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The earliest settlement, Pd I, was Chalcolithic in nature and was characterized by the use of stone artefacts and wheel-made ceramics and knowledge of copper. The stone implements consisted of a few neoliths [4.6] and microliths which comprised parallel-sided blades, lunates, flakes and cores. The ceramic contents of the culture were painted pottery of various fabrics. Broadly three wares could be distinguished: (1) red ware with light-to-deep slip, painted in black over the red surface; (2) black-and-red ware [11.6.2] painted in white over a black background; and (3) grey ware, occasionally painted. The dominant ceramic industry was the red ware, mostly painted in black. Made of well-levigated clay and well-fired, its outer and in some cases the inner surfaces were decorated with paintings. The dish, bowl and storage jar were the common vessels. The painted decorations were often executed on the upper portion of the vessel up to the rims. The designs were bands, geometrical patterns, animal motifs such as rows of stylized antelopes, figures of dogs, goats (?), scorpions in a row and other indeterminate animals. A few sherds also bore incised decoration. This red ware is said to be characterized by a shining lustre and is considered superior in quality to the fabric found at other sites of Mālwa region [11.10] such as MAHESHWAR-NAVDATOLI and KAYATHA. Recently another fabric in the ware, the Kayatha Ware [11.7], has also been found.

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The black-and-red ware painted in white over a black interior was represented in shapes of the dish, bowl and basin. The fabric seems to be superior to that found in the Banas valley [11.6.2].

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The grey ware of fine fabric was occasionally painted in black or in red; the vessels with thin sections were finer and their shapes included the jar with high neck and flaring mouth, bowl and basin. In some the outer surface was coated with a whitewash on a grey background. It occurred throughout the Chalcolithic habitation and seems to be different in all respects from either the PGW of the n. [11.14] or the Neolithic grey ware of the s. [11.1.5].

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The material assemblage of the Chalcolithic people was varied in its contents. The use of copper is testified by the find of two broken celts. Another valuable find is a circular gold piece. The largest number of finds are the beads, some unfinished prepared from various materials such as agate, carnelian and jasper, steatite, shell, paste and terracotta. Among other objects the foremost are human and animal figurines, in the latter of which the humped bull is quite popular, terracotta discs, toy-cart wheels and bangles and others used for domestic purposes. Domestic objects include stone querns [6.19], rubbers, ring-stones, balls, etc. A few bone points were also found.

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House plans and structures could not be revealed due to the damage caused by erosion. The exposed extant remains included six floor-levels. They were well-rammed with yellow clay mixed with *kankar*, their thickness ranging between 10 and 20 cm. In addition burnt lumps of clay were also crushed and laid on the floors, which were then made compact with mud and lime and smoothened, perhaps with cow-dung. A few circular hearths with ash and animal bones were exposed. The larger of them are two sets of twin hearths with raised walls, one set having circular burnt ash remains in the vicinity.

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The later phase of the Chalcolithic habitation was characterized by certain new features, which included the construction of a mud defence wall, abundant use of the Malwa Ware [11.10], introduction of the channel-spout and increase in the number of the dish-on-stand. The wall covered the s. side of the settlement, all the other sides being enclosed by the river. It had a basal width of 30 m and a maximum extant height of 6·41 m. The gap of 16·47 m between the wall and the moat in between was filled with black and yellow clay possibly during the Chalcolithic times. Its construction and use in the later Chalcolithic phase has been emphasized by the excavator due to the find of Chalcolithic ceramics such as channel-spouts, microliths and copper celt. Its utility seems to have been twofold, viz. protecting the settlement from external invasion and averting possible flooding by diverting excess water in the moat, which was to the s. of the defence wall with an extant width of 36·6 m and depth of 5·5 m. It seems to have been in use down to historical times.

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The accepted date for the Chalcolithic phase of Eran in *c.* 2100-700 B.C. (It has been said that the Chalcolithic samples of Eran show a scatter in ¹⁴C dates: ‘three consistent dates may put Pd I to *c.* 1500 B.C. The Chalcolithic phase perhaps came to an end around *c.* 1400 B.C.’ Agrawal *et al.*, p. 116). Recently on the basis of ¹⁴C dates for the succeeding Iron Age, Pd II, some modifications have been made by the excavators in the date of the Chalcolithic culture. Two dates are known for Pd II and both are supposed to place the introduction of iron at *c.* 1100-1000 B.C. On this showing two subdivisions of the Chalcolithic phase has been worked out as follows: (1) early Chalcolithic phase, *c.* 2100-1700 B.C., and (2) late Chalcolithic phase, *c.* 1700-1300 B.C. These dates have been postulated without a proper assessment of the corresponding stratigraphic observations and valid cultural changes.

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Sub-pd II A marked the introduction of iron and the black-and-red ware. The latter is quite different in fabric and shape from that of Pd I. The ware is thinner and unpainted. A sherd of the NBPW [11.16] was also recovered. Other antiquities included terracotta human and animal figurines, some of which were in the 'archaic' style. A number of tribal and punch-marked coins [3.1] were also found. A circular lead piece with the seal-mark of the ruler Indragupta in Brāhmī of the 3rd century B.C. was a notable find. The other finds were beads of stone, shell and terracotta, copper and iron objects, bone points, shell bangles, etc.

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During the next Sub-pd, II B, the black-and-red ware disappeared and was replaced by a plain red ware in which the commonest type consisted of the bowl with incurved rim. Some pots were found painted in black with simple bands. A few bore stamped designs. Notable is the find of a hoard of 3268 punch-marked coins, predominantly of copper and some with silver coating. The other antiquities included terracotta human and animal figurines, iron objects, beads of carnelian, shell and terracotta, shell bangles and bone points. Though no structures were exposed, floors of burnt bricks of the size of 32 × 12·6 × 4·5 cm were traced. A few tiles [14.6.4] were also recovered.

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Pd II is dated as follows: II A, *c.* 700-200 B.C.; and II B, *c.* 200 B.C.-A.D. 100. Recently an attempt has been made to reassess the date of the Iron Age but further details of supporting stratigraphical, structural and cultural factors are yet to be corroborated.

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The next Pd III, seems to be a flourishing period of artistic activity as well as the development of the settlement in general. The dominant ceramic was the Red Polished Ware [11.23] and along with it the bulk of the utilitarian pottery consisted of simple red ware. Four structural phases were recorded. The building materials were stone and burnt bricks (43 × 23 × 7·5 cm). Some houses had covered brick drains. The notable finds consisted of silver and copper coins of ruling dynasties in and around Eran and in the Malwa region. The coins belong to the W. Kṣatrapas, Nāgas, the Gupta king Rāmagupta and the Indo-Sassanian and Hūṇa rulers. Many clay coin moulds of W. Kṣatrapas, especially of Vijayasena, Rudrasiṁha II, Viśvasiṁha and Īśvaramitra, were found. The legend on a clay sealing reads in Gupta Brāhmī *Mahā-daṇḍa-nāyaka-Siṁhanandi*. It emphasizes the strategic nature of Eran as a border town.

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A significant find is a circular clay sealing depicting Gaja-Lakṣmī motif with a *prabhāvalī* above; in the lower half with is a Brāhmī inscription in Gupta script which reads *Airikiṇe Gomika-viṣa(yā)dhikaraṇasya*. A copper object shows the *kīrttimukha* design. Another is possibly a sword decorated with a carved elephant. Several terracotta figurines, especially female ones, show exquisite modelling. One of the animal figurines, a cow with four udders, is realistically portrayed. Other notable finds include a small stone image of Mahiṣamardint, a silver ring, rectangular and cubical dice [6.7.1] in bone and terracotta, shell bangles, bone points, various types of beads of carnelian, chalcedony, crystal, shell, glass, paste and terracotta a variety of terracotta human and animal figurines and other objects made in copper, iron and stone. This Pd may be dated to *c.* the 1st and to the 6th century A.D.

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The late medieval habitation at Eran has continued down to modern times.

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Agrawal, D.P., & Kusumgar. S., *Prehistoric Chronology & Radiocarbon Dating in India*, New Delhi. Allchin F.R. & B., 1968, *Birth of Indian Civilization*, pp. 197-8, 215, 218. Bajpai, K.D., 1964, *Sagar through the Ages*, 1964, pp. 6-9, 10-15, 26-31, 35-38; 1967, in *Bull. Ancient Ind. Hist. & Arch.*, 1, pp. 63-4; 1976, in *Prachya Pratibha*, 4, 2, pp. 33-7. Pandey, S.K., 1976, in *Prachya Pratibha*, 2, pp. 54-61. Singh, U., 1962, in *Madhya Pradesh Itihas Parishad*, 4, pp. 41-4; 1967, in *Bull. Ancient Ind. Hist. and Arch.*, 1, pp. 29-38.—G. MARGABANDHU