Archaeology Thread

[Marathaman]

Another ancient centre of learning discovered

Reena Sopam, Hindustan Times
Email Author
Patna, April 19, 2010


Another ancient centre of learning was discovered at Telhara village in Nalanda district in Bihar during excavations.
The state is already known worldwide for its Buddhist study centres- the famous Nalanda University, Udwantpuri near Biharsharif and Vikramshila University near Bhagalpur.
The excavation work at nearly 40-feet high Bulandi mound at Telhara by a team of archaeologists has unearthed evidence of a three-storied concrete structure, mentioned by Hieun Tsang in his travel account.
Evidence of prayer halls and residential cells for monks in the monastery, have now has been found in course of the recent diggings.
The Chinese traveller, who had visited the site in the 7th Century AD, has mentioned about a three-storied monastic building at 'Teliadhaka', which is identified with the present day Telhara. In his account, the writer provided clear references to four big prayer halls at the monastery that was home to nearly 1,000 monks at the time. Hieun Tsang also provided details on the existence of seven monasteries of the Mahayana cult in this region.
Telhara, a monastic site of Theravada tradition, was first discovered in 1872 by A M Broadley, the then District Magistrate of Nalanda, which was commented on in some detail later during 1875-78 by Alexander Cunningham, who excavated the site for a brief period. It was never excavated after Cunningham's effort.
The recent excavation work at the site began on December 26, 2009, after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated it at the Bulandi mound.
"Important evidences of the ancient monastic structure have been discovered at the site within a short period of excavation. Further diggings may reveal more important facts about the past," said Culture Secretary Vivek K Singh.
"The preliminary surface exploration at the site has revealed pottery and images, belonging to the Kushana age to the Gupta age. But the diggings have also revealed a 34-metre long floor lined by a number of cells. The vast floor is dotted with a number of platforms with images of Buddha installed on them. A 4-ft high basalt image of Buddha in Abhay Mudra and another in Dharma Chakra Pravartana Mudra have also been found in horizontal position on the floor. It appears to have been a prayer hall, mentioned by the Chinese traveller, said Atul Verma, Director of the excavation team.
A stone plaque with 8-line inscriptions in proto-Nagri and a black-coloured terracotta seal have also been found on this floor. "This plaque and the terracotta seal may reveal the time and other details of the structure. It appears to be the official seal of the monastery and if the inscriptions are deciphered, details mentioned by Hieun Tsang could very well be confirmed. A similar kind of terracotta seal was discovered at the Nalanda University site earlier," Verma said.
Verma said that yet another brick-paved floor has been discovered more than 15 feet below this prayer hall floor. "This confirms the existence of the three-storeyed monastery at Telhara. The size of the brick suggests it to be of the Kushana age (1st Century AD)," he said.

[Unconsciousfocus]

[barrykul]

Fragments of Parthian ‘fish plate’ glazed pottery recovered from Pattanam.



Quite revealing, by a Brit, who finds India was trading with other cultures, whilst the Brits were living in cave like dwellings during these times...

Pattanam digs rewriting history, says British archaeologist

Chronology of West Asian sherds indicates the place's commercial significance.

The information regarding the ongoing excavations at Pattanam (Vadakkekara panchayat, Ernakulam district) suggests that Asiatics managed to achieve impressive things, Derek Kennet, archaeologist and an expert on West Asian ceramics, has said.

Dr. Kennet, faculty of Durham University in the UK, who is currently collaborating in the Pattanam archaeological research by the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR), said the chronology of the West Asian sherds indicates the commercial significance of Pattanam during the pre-and-post- Roman periods. His tentative projection is that overseas contacts might range from 3rd century BC as indicated by ‘fish plates' of the Parthian period, through the Sasanian period to 9th century AD.

Pointing out that Pattanam seems to be re-writing the history of Indian Ocean trade, Dr. Kennet said Keralites should be proud of the creative contributions of their ancestors to the development of the world economy so many hundreds of years ago.

He praised the work being carried out by KCHR at the site as the most modern scientific methods and techniques were being used.

Explaining that the chronological inference of the West Asian sherds corroborates the stratigraphic distribution and therefore the site's cultural sequence, P.J. Cherian, Director of the Pattanam excavations, said 650 sherds of glazed table wares and over 850 sherds of torpedo jars from Iraq and western Iran region (ancient Mesopotamia) have come out of the Pattanam trenches along with the Mediterranean pottery sherds. Dr. Kennet recalled that the vessels probably contained sesame oil, date syrup and other products specific to the region.

Stating that the scientific analysis of the organic residues on the ceramics can give more interesting insights into the extensive Indian Ocean trading network, Dr. Cherian said these residues allow experts to obtain information on the original content of the materials, their function and use.

More information could be gained on the diet and customs of the people who used them, he said.

[Marathaman]

Originally Posted by barrykul

\
Quite revealing, by a Brit, who finds India was trading with other cultures, whilst the Brits were living in cave like dwellings during these times...

. The British isles have had trading links with the rest of Europe and other parts of the world for millennia.

[barrykul]

Originally Posted by Marathaman

. The British isles have had trading links with the rest of Europe and other parts of the world for millennia.

Evidence? Grand statements from a failed Indologist does not cut it!

[Marathaman]

Take it to the discussion thread. Or else, pick up a high-school history book from the UK

[barrykul]

Prof. P. Chenna Reddy , Director of the Andhra Pradesh Archaeology and Museums, displays the gold hand bands of the 13th century Kakatiya period, found at the Anurag Engineering College construction site Aushapuram in Ranga Reddy District.

The Andhra Pradesh Archaeology and Museums unwrapped 13th century gold ear studs, rings, armbands and silverware from an engineering college construction site at Ghatkesar in Ranga Reddy District on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

[Marathaman]

India's Village of the Dead

An exclusive look at a little-known Iron Age cemetery

There's no clear path to Hire Benakal in the hills north of the Tungabhadra River in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. If you have to double back only two or three times on the way, you've done well. University of Chicago anthropology graduate student Andrew Bauer leads me through the thorns and boulders until we emerge on a high plain surrounded by ridges. He points out knee-high aligned stones and propped-up slabs that mark the edges of the site. As we navigate through it, we walk around a pile of house-sized boulders, and the massive scale of Hire Benakal, like a city skyline in the distance, becomes apparent.
On a gentle slope are scores of dolmens (megalithic tombs) resembling houses of cards—if playing cards were slabs of granite 10 feet tall and weighed 10 tons or more. The monuments were built over more than 1,000 years spanning the southern Indian Iron Age (1200-500 B.C.) and Early Historic (500 B.C.-A.D. 500) periods, and there are more than 1,000 of them across nearly 50 acres, from modest rock enclosures to mausoleum-like tombs.

Historical sources are vague, but Hire Benakal's existence may have been documented as early as the 1850s, and the site was first examined in detail by historian A. Sundara of Karnatak University in the 1960s. In 2007, Bauer conducted the first systematic survey of the site and its environs. It was long thought that the Iron Age people of India were nomadic, making a megalithic site such as Hire Benakal difficult to explain. But recent surveys, including Bauer's, have turned up many settlements, including two within a mile of Hire Benakal, that show the people lived in villages and practiced agriculture and pastoralism. “The site appears to be a principal center of culture in the region,” says Sundara.

Though visiting the site today is an eerie experience—akin to walking through a ghost town of stone—Bauer has concluded that Hire Benakal was more than just an isolated cemetery; it was also a part of an active landscape, and a place where social status and inequality first began to develop. “We really understand the site much more in context now, because I surveyed all around it,” he says. It was important socially and is absolutely overwhelming to the eye. If it were not so remote, Hire Benakal might be a national treasure.

Photos

[ChennaiIndian]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/6141204.cms

CHENNAI: It was the collapse of the temple tower at Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh that spurred experts to inspect the ‘rajagopurams’ (towers) characteristic of Chennai’s temples. What they discovered were not cracks or fissures but rare sculptures including one of the Maratha king Shivaji, which embellish the intricate carvings on these structures.

“While climbing up the tiers of different temple towers across the city, we stumbled upon rare idols whose existence was unknown,” said an expert.

After the Srikalahasti temple tower collapsed in late May, it was reported that the 236-feet-tall ‘rajagopuram’ in Srirangam, Tiruchi too had a crack. A team from Chennai, consisting of officers from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, IIT professors, highway department officials and sthapathis (sculptors), then rushed to Srirangam to conduct an inspection. Soon afterwards, the team also visited other temples across Chennai and its suburbs to check the strength of these towers, which usually grace the entrance to the shrines.

“We noticed a sculpture of Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar sitting cross-legged, with some palm leaves in his hand, at the Kalikambal temple in Broadway. Another sculpture depicting the marriage of Shiva and Parvathi was found at the Karneeswarar temple in Saidapet,” said an official. “The Kalikambal temple also has a rare painting and a sculpture showing Goddess Kali blessing Chhatrapati Shivaji.” It is said that Shivaji visited the temple in the year 1677 and offered prayers to the deity.

...

[ChennaiIndian]

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...0852901900.htm



On display: A rare close-up of the punch-marked gold coin of the 6th century BC on display at the Archaeological Museum Library as part of the 500th year coronation celebrations of Sri Krishnadeva Raya.

[Arasu]

The oldest coin itself belongs to 6th century BC. The first gold coins in India were made by Kushanas around 100 AD.

With that background information, I wonder how come these coins are portrayed as belonging to 6th century BC?

[skganji]

Originally Posted by Arasu

The oldest coin itself belongs to 6th century BC. The first gold coins in India were made by Kushanas around 100 AD.

With that background information, I wonder how come these coins are portrayed as belonging to 6th century BC?

This could be from the coin hoard they found in the Karimnagar district in A.P belonging to the pre-Satavahana period . See this link for more. Some analysts have pointed out that there are some Telugu words on these coins ( like Mahatalavarsa ). It is important to understand that the popular opinion that Brahmi script is introduced by Mauryans is wrong. These pre-Mauryan inscriptions clearly point that Brahmi script is in use before Mauryans ( Mahajanapadas ).

http://www.coinlink.com/News/world-c...ncient-status/

http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/17/stor...1750700200.htm

Buddha contemparary Inscriptions.

Inscription - Bhallika Lena



Kesa Thupa Inscription.

[skganji]

Archaeology - Mahajanapadas ( 600 B.C - 400 B.C).



http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=28431

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesig....php?nid=84953

[ChennaiIndian]

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chenn...rial-sites-658

July 19: How technologically enhanced were the people belonging to ancient Tamil culture who erected imposing megalithic burials? This is one of the questions that a seven-member team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is trying to find answers to since the beginning of their excavation process at Sengalur in Pudukkottai.

Two months after they started the work, the team has discovered more than 500 megalithic burial sites in and around Sengalur. Dr D. Dayalan, superintending archaeologist of the temple survey project (southern region), ASI, under the directorship of whom the excavations are being done, told Deccan Chronicle that the burials which are 1,200 to 1,500 years old are of different types and are of immense importance, since they are one of the oldest existing architectural monuments in South India.

“The excavations yielded results in the form of discovering stone circles, cairn circles and cist burial of different types. Since there are more than 500 burials, we focused on studying one from each type instead of unearthing all,” Mr Dayalan said.

According to him the team is trying hard to find the technology that enabled these people to transport stones weighing half-a-tonne to the burial sites and about the manpower and art required in shaping and erecting them.

...

[Marathaman]

Buddhist structures found in Simhachalam hill range

Ramesh Susarla

VISAKHAPATNAM: Buddhist settlements are found on almost all hill-tops but little known fact that there were Buddhist settlements on Simhachalam hill-range has come to light during a recent renovation and restoration works taken up by the Endowments Department.

Restoration works

Sand blasting and restoration works on Chalukyan period Madhava Swamy Temple at Madhavadhara was taken up recently, which not only exposed the intrinsic fine sculpting legacy of 14 {+t} {+h} Century A.D., but also some other interesting facts about the construction of the original temple.

Assistant Director in Department of Archaeology K. Chitti Babu told The Hindu that the architecture of the Chalukyan period had come out transparently after the lime wash cover was removed on the khondalite rocks used for building the temple. “These stones are available in the Eastern Ghats, but the interesting part of the structure got revealed when large earthen bricks were found in the mast region,” he added.

These bricks measured 52 cm X 28 cm X 8 cm, with structural characteristics of the bricks used in Buddhist sites in and around Visakhapatnam coastal region. A researcher in Buddhist sites of north Andhra Pradesh, he said there were foundation walls of a Buddhist vihara in the close vicinity.

Chamber for monks to stay was found between the Mallikarjuna Swamy and Madhava Swamy temples that even today remain unexposed to the world due to several reasons like paucity of manpower and lack of will power among local administrators to permit the work.

Bricks estimated to be from 3 {+r} {+d} Century B.C. are now lying in a heap alongside the temple, as the mast is being rebuilt with cement concrete.

[ChennaiIndian]

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chenn...9unearthed-164

Aug. 2: Pallaanguzhi, the traditional board game of Tamil women, might have been the favourite of traders and travellers in ancient times. Proving the game’s antiquity, an archeologist has unearthed a rock-cut pallaanguzhi in a cave inside a slippery hill at Karadikoottam near Palani in Dindigul district.
The game has a mention in Sangam literature. Classical Tamil poetry Kalivenpaattu lists out a large number of games and pastimes, one among which is Pallaanguzhi. V.Narayanaoorthy, a banker-cum-archeologist who is also the Cuddalore district secretary of Tamil Nadu Archeological Research Institute, has brought to light the board game that had been carved out in the hilly rock, perhaps by the traders or the travellers who would have played it for time pass during their journey. He has found the rock-cut pallaanguzhi, with two columns containing six pits on each row, in four places inside a tent-like cave in the hill.
“An ancient highway, called Kolumam peruvazhi paathai, the existence of which has been recorded in Palani rocks, had run adjacent to the Karadikoottam hills. This highway had begun from Madurai and ran via Palani and Kolumam, situated on the banks of river Amaravathi, to Kozhikode from where traders took the sea route to trade with foreign countries. Kolumam, as referred to in Ahanaanooru (a classical Tamil poetic work) boasted of a gem market. This strongly indicates that traders and foreign travellers who used the highway could have played the game using cowry shells or pebbles,” says Mr Narayanamurthy.
Though a similar type of traditional game is found in Egyptian pyramids, the game which the ancient Tamil women were fond of, might have had its origin in Tamil Nadu, he says.

...

[ChennaiIndian]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/...icle550109.ece



Over 14 bronze icons, primarily from the Chola period, were excavated at a construction site here in Velankanni on Tuesday.

Several bronze worship artefacts along with a few chipped-off weapons from icons were also found at a depth of about 4.5 feet to 6 feet at the site on the way to the Velankanni shrine.

The icons of Somasskandar, Chandrashekhar, Appar, Manikavasagar, Thirugnyanasambandhar, Nirdhanavinayagar, two Pradhoshanayagars, Shivakami Amman, Kalinganardhanar, Murugan, and two other Ammans presumed to be consorts were among the find.

...

[ChennaiIndian]

Will bronze become green in color if buried under the soil for a long time?

[Arasu]

I think so. Even if you leave it outside, it would turn green I think. I remember my grand mother had bronze vessels which if unpolished would change colours.

[Marathaman]

Wow. Amazing find! I wish I could get my hands on those bronzes Dancing ganeshji looks so cute!