Context:
India’s oldest living city found in PM Modi’s native village Vadnagar: multi-institution study
Vadnagar
- Oldest living city within a single fortification unearthed so far in India
- Location – Gujarat
- Strategic location of 2 major ancient trade routes connecting –
- Central India with the Sindh
- Gujarat’s coast to northern India
- Other Names – Vridhanagar, Anandapur, Anantapur
- Society – Multicultural and multi-religious (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Islamic) settlement
- Timeline – Late phase of post-urban Harappan period
- Historical significance-
- Important centre of Buddhism
- Involvement in overseas trade (excavation of cowry shells traced to the Maldives)
- Other Importance
- Included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Proposed site for India’s first experiential digital museum
Recent Archeological Excavation
- Led by – Archeological Survey of India
- Funded by – Directorate of Archaeology and Museums (Government of Gujarat)
- Findings – Revealscultural continuity in Vadnagar even after the Harappan collapse
- Questions the claim of “Dark Age”
- The period between the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilisation and the emergence of the Iron Age and cities like Gandhar, Koshal, and Avanti is often depicted as a Dark Age
- Discovery of archaeological artefacts, potteries, copper, gold, silver and iron objects and intricately designed bangles.
- Coin moulds of the Greek king Appollodatus during the Indo-Greek rule at Vadnagar
- One of the oldest Buddhist monasteries has also been discovered
Archeological Survey of India (ASI)
- Ministry – Ministry of Culture
- Year – 1861
- Founded By – Alexander Cunningham as the “Father of Indian Archaeology”
- Activities –
- Carrying out surveys of antiquarian remains
- Exploration and excavation of archaeological sites
- Conservation and maintenance of protected monuments
- ASI Circles – For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites, entire country is divided into 36 Circles.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) Chanhudaro
(b) Kot Diji
(c) Sohgaura
(d) Desalpur
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Sohguara is famous for its copper plate inscription, not a Harappan site.
