Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c20.s3.t1.1

v1.c20.s3.t1.1

In north-east Baluchistan, in the Zhob-Loralai region, a chain of cairn-burials containing iron was discovered by Stein and Mockler. There are no C-14 dates and the chronology is quite controversial. Chakrabarty (1979: 355-58) has questioned whether these can be dated much earlier than the Historical Period of only a few centuries BC. Eight consistent C-14 dates show that the Iron Age levels of Pirak, in the Kachchi plains of Baluchistan, are datable to 800 BC. Dani and Stacul differ in the periodization of the Swat sites e.g. Loebarn, Timargarh, Ghalighai etc. Dani puts the iron-bearing Period III to c. 900-600 BC. Stacul suggested an earlier date. Following Stacul’s scheme, D.P. Agrawal (1984: 251) suggested that the first appearance of iron in the Swat area is datable to c. 1000 BC. Chakrabarty (1979: 360-62) does not find this acceptable, and points out that even Stacul admits that Period V of Katelai (showing iron for the first time in Swat Valley) continued up to 900-800 BC.