Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c16.s2.t1.1

v1.c16.s2.t1.1

The Malwa Culture has been well defined by the large scale excavations at Navdatoli which is by far the most extensive settlements of this culture. The site is situated on the southern bank of Narmadā just on the opposite bank of Maheswar. The extensive chalcolithic occupation at Navdatoli is represented by four mounds. The excavations (1953-54, 1957-59) have revealed two main periods. The first chalcolithic phase is further divisible into four sub-phases I-IV. The later period represents early Iron Age. According to C-14 determination the initial occupation begins around 1600 BC or may be even slightly earlier and it continued up to 1300 BC, when the site was deserted only to be occupied later in the Kuṣāṇa period. (Dhavalikar In Agarwal, 1979: 236-37; Sankalia, 1971: 42)