An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c42.752

v2.c42.752

**Purana Qila**, Delhi (28°38′; 77°12′), the ‘Old Fort’ on the Yamuna in New Delhi, off Delhi-Mathura-Agra road, built by Humāyūn and with standing monuments built by Sher Shāh, situated on a mound on which stood the village Inderpat till the beginning of this century, identified with Indraprastha, the headquarters of the Pāṇḍavas of *Mahābhārata* fame. It was explored by Cunningham (*ASI—AR*, 1, p. 135) and later on by others. An inscription of Bhoja of the Pratīhāra Jynasty (*c.* 836-85) was found here in 1913-4. In a trial excavation of 1954-5 conducted by B.B. Lal of the ASI sherds of the PGW (11.14) and NBPW [11.16] and remains of the Śuṅga-Kushan periods were found. (*IAR 1954-5*, p. 13). Between 1969-70 and 1972-3 the ASI conducted large-scale excavations here (*IAR 1969-70*, p. 4; *1970-1*, p. 8; *1971-2*, p. 7; *1972-3*, p. 8) revealing remains of eight Pds, though neither the PGW nor anything associated with it was found: Pd I, Mauryan (4th-3rd century B C); Pd II, Śuṅga (2nd-1st century B C; Pd III, Śaka-Kushan (1st-3rd century A D); Pd IV, Gupta (4th-6th century); Pd V, post-Gupta (7th-9th century); Pd VI, Rajput (10th-12th century); Pd VII, Sultanate (13th-15th century); and Pd VIII, Mughal (16th-19th century).