Tip-offs assist discovery of 4,000-year-old antiquities

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Tip-offs from ‘envious’ villagers of Ganeshpur of Mainpuri district in Uttar Pradesh have led to restoration of hoards of copper antiquities, together with weapons like harpoons and anthropomorphic collectible figurines, suspected to be courting round 1,800-2,000 BCE. These cultural objects, mendacity buried beneath a mound for 1000’s of years, have been discovered throughout levelling of farmland by the proprietor and at the moment are in protected custody of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Elated with the invention, the proprietor and others had taken them dwelling and stashed away pondering that the articles would fetch success. However this happiness was short-lived. Some secretly knowledgeable the police and district administration after which the ASI was roped in. The space was sealed and appeals have been made to the villagers to return the articles to the authorities or be able to face penalties. And the warning labored. So far, the ASI has obtained over 77 archaeological objects, together with 16 anthropomorphic collectible figurines.

The ASI is now making ready to launch excavations in close by areas for additional examine. Superintending Archaeologist (Agra) RK Patel stated that quickly excavation could be carried out in a 10-km radius. “Investigation at the site has already been completed. Trenches were made to understand the cultural strata. Majority of the recovered items are of 4-5 varieties such antennae swords, harpoons and anthropomorphic figurines. Their typological study is to be done after which an accurate time period will be ascertained. This is a single cultural strata site, which means in the last about 4,000 years people of similar culture had lived there. They were using similar utensils and weapons,” stated Patel.

Sanjay Manjul, joint director normal (ASI), who led the excavation at Harappan websites in Rakhigarhi (Haryana) and Sinauli in Western UP additionally inspected Mainpuri excavation.   The ASI workforce has additionally discovered a potter’s kiln and Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP), which can also be a big discover. “Until now, copper hoards and OCP have not been found at one place. They used to be spotted separately or in the vicinity of each other. But here, both things have been found at the same place. Hence we can say that copper hoards are related to the same culture. Nearest similar site is Atranjikhera in Etah,” stated Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, director (archeology).