An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c32.33

v2.c32.33

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.