Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim: 50 Marks

(i) Neolithic site

(ii) Mesolithic site

(iii) Paleolithic site

(iv) Neolithic site with stone artefacts

(v) Site of Indus Valley Civilization

(vi) Early Harappan site with a fire-pit

(vii) Late Harappan site

(viii) The Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) site

(ix) Mesolithic site

(x) Megalithic site

(xi) Mahajanapada of South India

(xii) Site of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana

(xiii) Major Rock Edict of Asoka

(xiv) Asokan Minor Rock Edict

(xv) Commercial centre of the Mauryas

(xvi) Saka-Kushan coin hoard

(xvii) An inscription mentioning Ashvamedha Sacrifice

(xviii) Site of Post-Mauryan period burnt brick house

(xix) Terracotta craft centre of Post-Mauryan period

(xx) Important port of the Pallava period

SOLUTION

(i) Neolithic site

Kiari

• Kiari is an important Neolithic site in the union territory of Ladakh, India, where a culture flourished between roughly 6000 and 3000 BC.
• Excavated in the early 1990s by Japanese archaeologists, the site reveals a Neolithic population that lived in pit houses, cultivated crops like barley and lentils, raised livestock, and produced pottery and stone tools.
• The discovery of Kiari, along with the nearby Giak site, provides significant evidence of early human settlement and adaptation to the trans-Himalayan environment.
• Key Findings:
  • Pit Houses:
    • Excavations uncovered evidence of pit houses, which were partially sunken, oval-shaped structures with stone and mudbrick walls and thatch roofs.
  • Agriculture and Pastoralism:
    • The people cultivated crops like barley, wheat, and lentils, and also engaged in animal husbandry, raising domestic sheep and goats.
  • Artifacts:
    • Stone tools such as axes, chisels, and pounders were found, along with handmade pottery. The red pottery found at Kiari is comparable to that of the Burzahom Neolithic Period II.

(ii) Mesolithic site

Bagor 

• In Bhilwara district of Rajasthan.
• One of the best documented mesolithic sites.
• Three occupational levels: mesolithic, chalcolithic and evidence of iron.
• Microliths:
  • Microliths made of locally available chert and quartz, were found.
  • A large number of geometric microliths such as triangles and trapezes.
• House:
  • House floors paved with stone slabs were found.
  • Circular arrangements of stone.
  • Stone-paved areas with a large number of animal bones were butchering areas.
• Burial:
  • Only one burial was uneartherd and there was no evidence of grave goods.
• Bones of wild and domesticated animals.
• Other discoveries:
  • Ring stones (used as hammer stones to make microliths), and rubbing stones (for grinding food).
• Small bits of pottery of microlith phase found.

(iii) Paleolithic site

Lakhmapur

• In Bagalkot District in Karnataka State.
• In the Kaladgi Basin of Peninsular India, known for its Lower and Middle Paleolithic lithic assemblages.
• The site contains surface scatters and buried stone lines of artifacts, primarily made from quartzite and chert, found in relation to extinct springs and ancient watercourses.

(iv) Neolithic site with stone artefacts

Koldihwa

• In Allahabad district, UP.
• From the Neolithic, Chalcolithic to the iron age.
• Rice:
  • Remains of rice and impression of rice husk embedded in pieces of burnt clay found.
• Other discoveries included stone blades, polished stone celts, microliths, querns and mullers (for grinding) and
• Bone tools also found.
• Pottery:
  • Hand made, 
  • cord marked pottery,
  • BRW.
• Chalcolithic period:
  • Pottery:
    • Introduction of wheel-made pottery,
    • BRW.
  • Mud floors with burnt clay and post holes, remnants of wattle-and-daub houses.
  • The tool kit includes copper, bone and stone tools.
  • Microlithic tools used.
  • Copper beads and bone tools.
  • Beads of semi-precious stones, ring stones and terracotta found.

(v) Site of Indus Valley Civilization

Rojdi

• In Rajkot district, Gujarat.
• Mature Harappan, Late Harappan, and Palaeolithic site.
• Houses:
  • Built on stone foundations.
  • No bricks were found.
• Pottery:
  • Hard, red-ware.
• Graffiti and Script:
  • Graffiti with signs from the Indus script, such as jar sign.
  • A short Harappan inscription on pots.
• Copper or bronze flat axes were found.

(vi) Early Harappan site with a fire-pit

Rakhigarhi

• In Hisar District, Haryana.
• Largest site of IVC.
• Early and mature Harappan site.
• Mature Harappan phase:
  • Planned township
  • mud-brick and burnt-brick houses
  • proper drainage system.
  • Pottery:
    • Red ware,
    • dish-on-stand, vase, jar, bowl, beaker, perforated jar.
  • Animal sacrificial pit and circular fire alters:- signifies the ritual system.
  • A cylindrical seal with five Harappan characters.
• Other antiquities:
  • blades; terracotta and shell bangles;
  • beads of semiprecious stones,
  • copper objects;
  • animal figurines,
  • toy cart
  • wheel of terracotta;
  • bone points;
  • inscribed steatite seals and sealings.

(vii) Late Harappan site

Alamgirpur 

• In Meerut district, UP.
• Easternmost Harappan site
• Mature and Late Harappan site.
• No early Harappan level.
• Burnt bricks, copper objects found in late Harappan period.
• PGW preceded by a late Harappan level.
• Break in occupation between Late Harappan and PGW.

(viii) The Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) site

Hastinapur / Lal Quila 

• In Meerut district, UP.
• Capital of Kuru.
• Jaina tradition:
  • Place where Rishabha, the first tirthankara, lived.
  • Mahavira visited.
• OCP followed by PGW.
• Habitation:
  • Wattle-and-daub and mud huts.
  • Unbaked bricks.
• Chert and jasper weights found.
• Horse bones found.
• 2nd century BCE–3rd century CE: (Urbanisation)
  • Pottery:
    • Wheel-turned red ware.
    • Designs such as fish, leaves, flowers, svastikas, triratnas, loops, circles, and other geometric patterns.
  • Habitation:
    • Planed settlement.
    • Burnt brick, ring well found.
  • Artefacts:
    • Objects: iron, copper, ivory, terracotta figurines.
    • rings and beads
    • potsherds and seal
    • Coins– Yaudheyas and Kushana
  • Terracotta:
    • Humped bull
    • torso of the bodhisattva Maitreya.

(ix) Mesolithic site

Tenmalai

• A rockshelter and open-air site in Tenmalai, Quilon District (Kollam), Kerala, situated in the foothills of the Chendurni Hills.
• Artifacts:
  • The site is noted for its stone tools made from quartz, including various types of microliths and larger macrolithic tools.
• Cave Art:
  • The site contains unique Mesolithic cave paintings featuring parallel and diagonal lines, which are believed to be a form of identification system or signboards. There are also rock engravings on the exterior of the rock shelter.
• Habitation Evidence:
  • Evidence of Mesolithic occupation includes circular arrangements of stones, fire hearths, and charred bones, all found within the rock-shelter and its immediate surroundings.

(x) Megalithic site

Junapani 

• In Nagpur district, Maharashtra.
• Megalithic, early iron site.
• Around 300 stone circles are found.
• Iron objects:- ring, chisels, horse bits, flat axes.
• BRW pottery.
• Bead making centre.
• Burial sites characterised by cairns.
• No cremation, dead were buried.
• Cup marked stones in circle:- signify astronomical significance.
• ASI declared it National Important Monument.
• Grave goods: red potter few with graffiti.

(xi) Mahajanapada of South India

Ashmaka (Potali)

• Located in the Godavari river valley, in the modern states of Telangana and Maharashtra.
• Ashmaka was the only Mahajanapada situated south of the Vindhya mountain range.
• Its capital was Pratisthan (modern-day Paithan) or Potana/Potali. The kingdom, situated in parts of present-day Telangana and Maharashtra, was known for being the only Mahajanapada located south of the Vindhya mountains.
• Mentioned in Buddhist and Jain texts, Ashmaka’s existence highlights the spread of political and cultural developments to the southern regions of the Indian subcontinent during the 6th century BCE.

(xii) Site of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana

Kushinagar

• In Deoria district,  Uttar Pradesh.
• Capital of the Mallas Mahajanapadas.
• Buddhist Pilgrim place because Buddha passed away here in 483 BC.
• Ashoka has visited and built a stupa.
• Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang visited.
• Artifacts and structures related to all sects of Buddhism found.

(xiii) Major Rock Edict of Asoka

Yerragudi/ Erragudi

• In Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Major and Minor Rock Edict of Ashoka.
• Inscriptions in Brahmi Script and Prakrit language.

• Ashoka was referred to Piyadasi and the Beloved of Gods.

• Inscriptions contained on nine rocks advocated that:

  • one should be obedient to one’s parents,

  • one should likewise be obedient to one’s elders,

  • one should be kind to living beings,

  • one should speak truth,

  • one should propagate the attributes of dharma,

  • no-living being be slaughtered for sacrifices.

• The rock edict also mention welfare work of Ashoka like planting of tress, digging wells for the enjoyment of animals and men.

(xiv) Asokan Minor Rock Edict

Ratanpurwa Kaimur Hills 

• It is situated in the Ghurhupur (Ratanpurwa) area of the Kaimur Hills of Bihar.
• The edict was discovered in 2009 by K. K. Thaplyal and reported in a monograph by Jnana-Pravaha.
• The discovery of an Asokan Minor Rock Edict in the Kaimur Hills is significant as it indicates the reach of the Mauryan Empire into the tribal and forested regions.
• These minor edicts were often placed in remote areas to directly address local populations and officials, reaffirming Ashoka’s commitment to spreading dhamma across his empire.

(xv) Commercial centre of the Mauryas

Tamralipti

• In Tamluk near the mouth of the Ganges in Midnapur district of West Bengal.
• Emporium of trade.
• Connected to Taxila by land and river on one hand and with south-east Asia by sea on the other.
• Antiquities of Chalcolithic period and NBPW phase found.
• Discovery of Roulette ware and red polished ware of Roman type indicates the trade contact with Roman.
• Urban character is proved by discovery of terracotta figurines, coins, beads or semi-precious stones etc.

(xvi) Saka-Kushan coin hoard

Vidisha (Besnagar)

• Vidisha is an ancient city, situated near Bhopal.
• The city, originally called Besnagar and Bhilsa was capital of the Sunga dynasty.
• Besnagar figures significantly in Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical literature.
• Heliodorus pillar/ Besnagar pillar/ Garuda pillar:
  • Monolithic free standing stone column
  • Erected around 113 BCE by Heliodorus, a Greek ambassador of the Indo-Greek king to the court of the Shunga king.
  • Surmounted by a sculpture of Garuda.
  • Inscription states that it was raised in honour of god Vasudeva by Heliodorous.
• The presence of Saka-Kushan coins at this site indicates that Vidisha was an important economic hub during the period when these Central Asian rulers dominated much of North and Central India.
• The Udayagiri Caves are situated nearby.
• Also nearby Vidisha is the ancient Buddhist complex of Sanchi.

(xvii) An inscription mentioning Ashvamedha Sacrifice

Ayodhya Inscription

• Located in thecity of Ayodhya in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• The “Ayodhya inscription” most commonly refers to the Dhanadeva-Ayodhya inscription, a Sanskrit inscription from the Brahmi script detailing King Dhanadeva’s building of a shrine to his father, Phalgudeva.
  • It is significant for mentioning his ancestor, Pushyamitra Sunga, and proving the Shunga dynasty’s control over Ayodhya and Pushyamitra’s performance of the Ashvamedha Yajna ritual twice.
• Inscription mentions that King Dhanadeva, a local ruler, performed two Ashvamedha sacrifices in Ayodhya.
  • The inscription provides crucial evidence for the revival of Vedic rituals during the Sunga dynasty, which followed the decline of the Mauryan Empire.

(xviii) Site of Post-Mauryan period burnt brick house

Sanghol 

• In Fatehgarh Sahib District, Punjab.
• A 1st century Buddhist stupa enshrining the bone relics of Buddhist teacher and a monastery complex.
• Few votive stupas are put around this main stupa to secure the relics.
• The Kushan rulers built stupas for monks.
• Sanghol brick house of the post-Mauryan period was a well-preserved, burnt-brick complex that served as a significant urban center in present-day Punjab. It is a key archaeological find from the Sunga-Kushana era
• Artefacts:
  • Kushan sculptures of the Mathura school.
  • Pottery found.
  • Toys, bangles, beads, seals, and coins made of terracotta, ivory and metal.
  • Inscriptions in Brahmi and Kharoshti script on a few items.
  • Coins engraved with images of Shiva, Lakshmi, Nandi and kings.
• ‘The Head of Buddha’ was recovered from the Sanghol stupa.
• Mentioned in writings of Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller.

(xix) Terracotta craft centre of Post-Mauryan period

Chandraketugarh

• In North 24 parganas district, West Bengal.
• Archaeological site:
  • NBPW found,
  • Silver and copper punch marked coins,
    • Some of the punch marked coins having ship motif indicate that Chandraketugarh might have been a port-town.
  • Stone and terracotta beads. Semi-precious stone beads and items of ivory and bone found.
  • Terracotta art:
    • Unusual degree of precision and craftsmanship.
    • Terracotta plaques are comparable to those found at other sites such as Kaushambi and Ahichhatra.
    • Terracotta plaques from these sites often carry similar motifs executed in nearly identical fashion.
• A temple structure of Gupta or post-Gupta period found.

(xx) Important port of the Pallava period

Mamallapuram/Mahabalipuram

• In Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu.
• Developed by the Pallava King Narsimhavarman Mamalla and Rajasimhavarman in the 7^th century AD.
• Cave temples, monolithic rathas, sculpted reliefs and structural temples built.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Famous monuments:
  • Descent of the Ganges – a giant open-air rock relief
  • Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) –
    • Of the nine monolithic temples found in Mahabalipuram, the most important are Five Rathas known after the famous five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata fame.
    • Each of these is carved from one single large piece of granite stone.
  • Shore Temple, a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal with the entrance from the western side away from the sea.
• Pallavas used the port to launch trade and diplomatic missions to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.