An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c38.133

v2.c38.133

**Langhnaj** (23°8′; 72°5′), Dt Mahesana, located about 59 km due n. of Ahmadabad, a habitation-*cum*-cemetery site, similar to many other sites located on river banks and especially on the sandy alluvial plains of n. and c. Gujarat around small hillocks of wind-blown deposits or dunes which enclose almost perennial small lakes, along with scrub vegetation that are ideally suited to support small and big game and fish. It was excavated by Sankalia, 1949, 1956, 1965, and his colleagues Clutton-Brock, 1965, and Erhardt, 1965, at various intervals between 1942, 1944, 1947 and later on. Zeuner, 1950, 1952, worked on the chronology, and Subbarao, 1952, with his colleagues (Malik, 1966) also excavated other similar sites in Gujarat. Excavation was conducted at a contour level of 67·06 and 68·58 m and the total excavated area by now is about 1200 sq m. It is a Mesolithic [4.5] site of hunters and fishermen, characterized by microlithic industries along with remains of pottery, metal, pieces of haematite, animal bones and 14 human skeletons. Charred and burnt bone remains indicate the knowledge of fire and cooking although no remains of any hearth and ashes have been found.