An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c46.37

v2.c46.37

The first structural settlement seems to have begun only in Pd II, assignable to the early centuries of the Christian era. This post-NBPW settlement is most extensive and can be divided into two structural phases. In the foundation of the buildings of the early phase the use of stone is very popular, a reason being that geologically the region around Chakia forms part of the Vindhyan range. In the late phase the structures are only of large-sized baked brick. Although the working level of these two structural phases is the same at some places, there is an apparent inconsistency between the alignment and the sizes of the rooms and the direction of the opening of the buildings. In some cases the house walls of the later phase faithfully follow those of the earlier one. There appears to be a proper planning in the settlement of the early phase for the rooms are fairly large and spacious. Each stone house has two wings with two rooms in each wing. In the smaller wing, running w.-e., the sizes of the rooms are 2·15 × 2·10 m and 2·26 × 2·10 m, while in the longer axis running s.-n. they are 4·10 × 2·70 m and 1·60 × 2·20 m. In the smaller axis the two rooms are interconnected through an opening. The main entrance to these rooms is from the front corridor but there is a small opening also at the back. In the larger complex the rooms are not interconnected although there is an entrance in one of the larger rooms. The settlement of the late structural phase is very extensive, spread over the whole of the site, except in low-lying areas of the mound which perhaps served as a passage. In the late phase the remains of one of the rooms, measuring 4·90 × 2·20 m, has been exposed as also a large brick-baked floor adjoining it. A notable find from the top deposit of this phase is a seal of black stone inscribed in Brāhmī script of the 1st-2nd centuries A.D. T.N. ROY