Dholavira

Dholavira, an ancient metropolitan city, and locally known as Kotada Timba Prachin Mahanagar Dholavira, is one of the largest and most prominent archaeological sites in India, belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is located on the Khadir island in the Kachchh district of Gujarat, India which is surrounded by water in the monsoon season. The site was occupied from about 2900 BCE for about a millennium, declining slowly after about 2100 BCE; it was briefly abandoned, then villagers reoccupied the area of its ruins until about 1450.

Chronology of Dholavira

R.S. Bisht, the director of the Dholavira excavations, has defined following seven stages of occupation, at the site:

• Stage I Early Harappan - Mature Harappan Transition A 2650-2550 BCE
• Stage II Early Harappan - Mature Harappan Transition B 2550-2500 BCE
• Stage III Mature Harappan A 2500-2200 BCE
• Stage IV Mature Harappan B 2200-2000 BCE
• Stage V Mature Harappan C 2000-1900 BCE
• Period of desertion 1900-1850 BCE
• Stage VI Posturban Harappan A 1850-1750 BCE
• Period of desertion 1750-1650 BCE
• Stage VII Posturban Harappan B 1650-1450 BCE

Excavations

The ancient site at Dholavira (23°31′N 70°08′E / 23.52°N 70.13°E / 23.52; 70.13Coordinates: 23°31′N 70°08′E / 23.52°N 70.13°E / 23.52; 70.13), is flanked by two storm water channels; the Mansar in the north, and the Manhar in the south. The site, discovered in 1967-8 by J.P. Joshi, is the fifth largest Harappan site in the Indian subcontinent, and has been under excavation almost continuously since 1990 by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Seven such urban centers have been discovered: Harappa, Mohenjo Daro, Ganeriwala in modern day Pakistan and Rakhigarhi, Kalibangan, Dholavira and Lothal in modern day India.

Excavation was initiated in 1989 by the Archaeological Survey of India under the direction of Dr. R. S. Bisht. The excavation brought to light the sophisticated urban planning and architecture, and unearthed large numbers of antiquities such as seals, beads, animal bones, gold, silver, terracotta ornaments and vessels linked to Mesopotamia. Archaeologists believe that Dholavira was an important centre of trade between settlements in south Gujarat, Sindh and Punjab and Western Asia.

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