Ter, ancient Tagar, is located on the banks of the River Terna in the Osmanabad District of Mahar... more Ter, ancient Tagar, is located on the banks of the River Terna in the Osmanabad District of Maharashtra. Periplus of the Erythrean Sea (c. 50-103 CE) makes the first literary reference to Ter. The site known as the 'ancient emporium', evidenced tremendous activity during the Indo-Roman trade. Since long, the site, has demonstrated its potential through various archaeological investigations. Owing to the fabulous significance of the site, an excavation was conducted in 2015, especially in the Bairagpandhar and Kot areas. The excavation was fruitful in various ways and produced substantial data on ancient Ter's chronology and trade linkages.
Vidarbha is one of the most important regions of the state of Maharashtra, India. Archaeologicall... more Vidarbha is one of the most important regions of the state of Maharashtra, India. Archaeologically, it is known for its megalithic monuments, which are concentrated in the Nagpur district. Megalithic investigations carried out to date mention primarily stone circles and cairns as the basic megalithic types prevalent in the region, with sporadic reports of menhirs and dolmens. Recent explorations in the eastern part of Vidarbha, specifically along the banks of the Wainganga river, have brought to light hundreds of megaliths which not only display immense typological variety but also include novel forms hitherto unknown in Vidarbha. Their construction patterns, deposits, outer architectures and, especially, their inner architectures, differ from the typical megaliths reported from Nagpur district. This divergence is clearly of great significance. It can be postulated that the unique character of these sites relates to complex burial practices prevalent amongst the megalithic communities along the banks of the Wainganga and suggests that the region had a distinct megalithic tradition that differed from that in the core region of Vidarbha. It appears that regional variations, probably together with ecological adaptations, were in vogue during the megalithic period in Vidarbha. This paper documents and analyses the significant typological variations amongst the megaliths of Vidarbha and their implications.
ANIMALS IN ARCHAEOLOGY Integrating Landscapes, Environment and Humans in South Asia (A Festschrift for Prof. P.P. Joglekar), 2023
The excavations at Nagardhan yielded in one of the localities an enigmatic structure associated w... more The excavations at Nagardhan yielded in one of the localities an enigmatic structure associated with the burial of a horse and a dog. Also, the excavations revealed some other interesting artefacts such as weapons and ornaments. This paper deals with the possible identification of the horse sacrifice with the ancient textual reference to the Ashvamedha sacrifice and its relevance in understanding the human-animal relationship in ancient India.
This study presents the plant economy reconstructed based on an analysis of charred plant remains... more This study presents the plant economy reconstructed based on an analysis of charred plant remains from an Early Iron Age site, Malli, in Gondia district, Maharashtra, India. A radiocarbon date of 3400 ± 100 cal BP was obtained from a wood charcoal sample. Agricultural crops identified included Oryza sativa subsp. indica, Oryza cf. rufipogon; millets like Brachiaria ramosa, Echinochloa cf. colona, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Setaria italica and Setaria sp.; pulses such as Lablab purpureus, Lathyrus sativus, Macrotyloma uniflorum, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, grains of Vigna sp. and oilseeds of Brassica cf. juncea. The remains of wild and weedy taxa were also recovered, including seeds of Commelina sp., Cyperus sp., Elaeocharis sp., Scirpus sp., Scleretia sp., Fimbristylis sp., Solanum sp., Ischaemum rugosum and Indigofera cf. Linifolia. Fruit stone fragments of Ziziphus sp., along with tree species, include Bombax sp. and Ficus sp. The Malli was part of the agricultural mounded settlement group that existed during the Early Iron Age period in the Upper Wainganga Valley. This archaeobotanical dataset provides evidence of the typical summer crop pattern facilitated by wet environmental conditions.
Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee, Kanchani Prova Koch, P. Meshram, A. Bhoyar, A. Thakur and Virag Sontak... more Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee, Kanchani Prova Koch, P. Meshram, A. Bhoyar, A. Thakur and Virag Sontakke, "A Study of the Animal Remains from the Early Historic Settlement of Chandankhera, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra," Bulletin of the Deccan College 74 (2014): 55-63.
P. Meshram, et al, "A Report on Excavations at Chandankheda (2009‐10), Chandrapur District, ... more P. Meshram, et al, "A Report on Excavations at Chandankheda (2009‐10), Chandrapur District, Maharashtra," <em>Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology</em> 2 (2015): 562‐580.
Terracotta antiquities is an important medium of expression abound in archaeological finds. Excav... more Terracotta antiquities is an important medium of expression abound in archaeological finds. Excavations at Chandankheda too brought to light a large number of terracotta antiquities both from excavated context and surface finds. They have stylistic as well as historical importance. They help us to understand the social, economic and religious life of the ancient people at Chandankheda. The site is an important ancient fortified habitation in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. It was jointly excavated during 2009‐10 by Department of Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University in collaboration with Department of Archaeology and Museums, Nagpur Division of Maharashtra Government and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The present paper deals with the stylistic and typological study of terracotta finds from the aforesaid site.
Heritage Journal of Multidisciplinary studies in Archaeology, 2017
This paper is based on the findings and analysis of microlithics from an excavated site‐ Malli lo... more This paper is based on the findings and analysis of microlithics from an excavated site‐ Malli located on the Chorkhambara River, a small tributary of Wainganga river system in in eastern Vidharbha region of District Gondia, Maharashtra. The Microlithic layer is consist of 20 cm thick. Excavations yielded 951 artifacts and from surface 508 artifacts collected for detailed analysis. The microliths were found associated with calcrete; suggest a chronology of late Pleistocene periods.
The present paper presents a fulI report ofthe analysis conducted on the faunal remains excavated... more The present paper presents a fulI report ofthe analysis conducted on the faunal remains excavated from the Megalithic burial-cum-habitation site of Malli, located in Tiroda Taluka of Gondia District, Maharashtra. It is important to note that Malli is the only excavated site in the Upper Wainganga ..iValley. Atotal of 5195 animal skeletal fragments were analysed, that includes faunal material re-i.5 covered from the Megalithic burials as well as the habitation site. The animal skeletal fragments-from the habitation site of Malli represent the remains of animals as a component in the full-fledged protohistoric subsistence system. This subsistence system involved the utilisation of both domestic and wild animals. However, the proportion of wild animals relative to the domestic was very small. 'j This shows that wild resources did not play a major role in the subsistence activities of the inhabit-' ants at the site. The animal skeletal fragments recovered from the Megalithic burials revealed the partial burials ofcow/ox and goat/sheep.
' Early IronAge in Vidarbha is associated with the Megalithic culture and use of iron on a large ... more ' Early IronAge in Vidarbha is associated with the Megalithic culture and use of iron on a large scale.
This civilization is remarkable for its general uniformity and standardization in architecture, c... more This civilization is remarkable for its general uniformity and standardization in architecture, ceramics, weights and measures, arts and crafts etc. But such uniformity in 3 rd millennium B.C. is indeed unique as it was also the time that saw the rise of numerous regional cultures like Neolithic culture, Neo-Chalcolithic Culture and Chalcolithic Culture. These cultures flourished outside Harappan universe as their contemporary counterparts and were marked by their distinct cultural traits which were vastly different from the Indus fabric. This way, 3 rd millennium B.C denotes a wonderful time in history because this was the period which saw the coexistence of Culture and Civilization for the first time in India. The present paper tries to study this very theme of dichotomy of culture and civilization in India in terms of Indus Valley Civilization and regional Chalcolithic Cultures as a mean to understand the growth, contact and influence of one over the other.
Explorations and excavations are a valid mean to attest or bring forth the historicity of archaeo... more Explorations and excavations are a valid mean to attest or bring forth the historicity of archaeological remains at any site. When the initial explorations and related discoveries shed light on the archaeological potential of ancient site Chandankheda, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, the site was taken up for excavations and INTACH, Chandrapur Chapter during 2009-10. Present paper is a summation of results of excavations at Chandankheda. It explores the antiquity of habitation at the site and its gradual development across various periods.
Early Iron Age in Vidarbha is associated with Megalithic culture which first sees the use of iron... more Early Iron Age in Vidarbha is associated with Megalithic culture which first sees the use of iron on a large scale. The cultural remains of Early Iron Age in Vidarbha region are mostly known to be located in eastern part. This cultural region is more or less confined in the area between Wainganga valley in the east and Wardha valley in the west. The archaeological site Malli was discovered by the first author and owing to its important it was excavated during 2010-11. This was the first megalithic site excavated in Gondia district. Large number of megalithic monuments with typological difference and inner layouts added extra significant to the site. Excavation carried out at Habitation mound brought to light ancient settlement habitational remains, antiquity remains etc. Four megaliths were taken up for excavation revealed hitherto less known type of inner architecture in Vidarbha.
Ter, ancient Tagar, is located on the banks of the River Terna in the Osmanabad District of Mahar... more Ter, ancient Tagar, is located on the banks of the River Terna in the Osmanabad District of Maharashtra. Periplus of the Erythrean Sea (c. 50-103 CE) makes the first literary reference to Ter. The site known as the 'ancient emporium', evidenced tremendous activity during the Indo-Roman trade. Since long, the site, has demonstrated its potential through various archaeological investigations. Owing to the fabulous significance of the site, an excavation was conducted in 2015, especially in the Bairagpandhar and Kot areas. The excavation was fruitful in various ways and produced substantial data on ancient Ter's chronology and trade linkages.
Vidarbha is one of the most important regions of the state of Maharashtra, India. Archaeologicall... more Vidarbha is one of the most important regions of the state of Maharashtra, India. Archaeologically, it is known for its megalithic monuments, which are concentrated in the Nagpur district. Megalithic investigations carried out to date mention primarily stone circles and cairns as the basic megalithic types prevalent in the region, with sporadic reports of menhirs and dolmens. Recent explorations in the eastern part of Vidarbha, specifically along the banks of the Wainganga river, have brought to light hundreds of megaliths which not only display immense typological variety but also include novel forms hitherto unknown in Vidarbha. Their construction patterns, deposits, outer architectures and, especially, their inner architectures, differ from the typical megaliths reported from Nagpur district. This divergence is clearly of great significance. It can be postulated that the unique character of these sites relates to complex burial practices prevalent amongst the megalithic communities along the banks of the Wainganga and suggests that the region had a distinct megalithic tradition that differed from that in the core region of Vidarbha. It appears that regional variations, probably together with ecological adaptations, were in vogue during the megalithic period in Vidarbha. This paper documents and analyses the significant typological variations amongst the megaliths of Vidarbha and their implications.
ANIMALS IN ARCHAEOLOGY Integrating Landscapes, Environment and Humans in South Asia (A Festschrift for Prof. P.P. Joglekar), 2023
The excavations at Nagardhan yielded in one of the localities an enigmatic structure associated w... more The excavations at Nagardhan yielded in one of the localities an enigmatic structure associated with the burial of a horse and a dog. Also, the excavations revealed some other interesting artefacts such as weapons and ornaments. This paper deals with the possible identification of the horse sacrifice with the ancient textual reference to the Ashvamedha sacrifice and its relevance in understanding the human-animal relationship in ancient India.
This study presents the plant economy reconstructed based on an analysis of charred plant remains... more This study presents the plant economy reconstructed based on an analysis of charred plant remains from an Early Iron Age site, Malli, in Gondia district, Maharashtra, India. A radiocarbon date of 3400 ± 100 cal BP was obtained from a wood charcoal sample. Agricultural crops identified included Oryza sativa subsp. indica, Oryza cf. rufipogon; millets like Brachiaria ramosa, Echinochloa cf. colona, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Setaria italica and Setaria sp.; pulses such as Lablab purpureus, Lathyrus sativus, Macrotyloma uniflorum, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, grains of Vigna sp. and oilseeds of Brassica cf. juncea. The remains of wild and weedy taxa were also recovered, including seeds of Commelina sp., Cyperus sp., Elaeocharis sp., Scirpus sp., Scleretia sp., Fimbristylis sp., Solanum sp., Ischaemum rugosum and Indigofera cf. Linifolia. Fruit stone fragments of Ziziphus sp., along with tree species, include Bombax sp. and Ficus sp. The Malli was part of the agricultural mounded settlement group that existed during the Early Iron Age period in the Upper Wainganga Valley. This archaeobotanical dataset provides evidence of the typical summer crop pattern facilitated by wet environmental conditions.
Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee, Kanchani Prova Koch, P. Meshram, A. Bhoyar, A. Thakur and Virag Sontak... more Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee, Kanchani Prova Koch, P. Meshram, A. Bhoyar, A. Thakur and Virag Sontakke, "A Study of the Animal Remains from the Early Historic Settlement of Chandankhera, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra," Bulletin of the Deccan College 74 (2014): 55-63.
P. Meshram, et al, "A Report on Excavations at Chandankheda (2009‐10), Chandrapur District, ... more P. Meshram, et al, "A Report on Excavations at Chandankheda (2009‐10), Chandrapur District, Maharashtra," <em>Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology</em> 2 (2015): 562‐580.
Terracotta antiquities is an important medium of expression abound in archaeological finds. Excav... more Terracotta antiquities is an important medium of expression abound in archaeological finds. Excavations at Chandankheda too brought to light a large number of terracotta antiquities both from excavated context and surface finds. They have stylistic as well as historical importance. They help us to understand the social, economic and religious life of the ancient people at Chandankheda. The site is an important ancient fortified habitation in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. It was jointly excavated during 2009‐10 by Department of Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University in collaboration with Department of Archaeology and Museums, Nagpur Division of Maharashtra Government and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The present paper deals with the stylistic and typological study of terracotta finds from the aforesaid site.
Heritage Journal of Multidisciplinary studies in Archaeology, 2017
This paper is based on the findings and analysis of microlithics from an excavated site‐ Malli lo... more This paper is based on the findings and analysis of microlithics from an excavated site‐ Malli located on the Chorkhambara River, a small tributary of Wainganga river system in in eastern Vidharbha region of District Gondia, Maharashtra. The Microlithic layer is consist of 20 cm thick. Excavations yielded 951 artifacts and from surface 508 artifacts collected for detailed analysis. The microliths were found associated with calcrete; suggest a chronology of late Pleistocene periods.
The present paper presents a fulI report ofthe analysis conducted on the faunal remains excavated... more The present paper presents a fulI report ofthe analysis conducted on the faunal remains excavated from the Megalithic burial-cum-habitation site of Malli, located in Tiroda Taluka of Gondia District, Maharashtra. It is important to note that Malli is the only excavated site in the Upper Wainganga ..iValley. Atotal of 5195 animal skeletal fragments were analysed, that includes faunal material re-i.5 covered from the Megalithic burials as well as the habitation site. The animal skeletal fragments-from the habitation site of Malli represent the remains of animals as a component in the full-fledged protohistoric subsistence system. This subsistence system involved the utilisation of both domestic and wild animals. However, the proportion of wild animals relative to the domestic was very small. 'j This shows that wild resources did not play a major role in the subsistence activities of the inhabit-' ants at the site. The animal skeletal fragments recovered from the Megalithic burials revealed the partial burials ofcow/ox and goat/sheep.
' Early IronAge in Vidarbha is associated with the Megalithic culture and use of iron on a large ... more ' Early IronAge in Vidarbha is associated with the Megalithic culture and use of iron on a large scale.
This civilization is remarkable for its general uniformity and standardization in architecture, c... more This civilization is remarkable for its general uniformity and standardization in architecture, ceramics, weights and measures, arts and crafts etc. But such uniformity in 3 rd millennium B.C. is indeed unique as it was also the time that saw the rise of numerous regional cultures like Neolithic culture, Neo-Chalcolithic Culture and Chalcolithic Culture. These cultures flourished outside Harappan universe as their contemporary counterparts and were marked by their distinct cultural traits which were vastly different from the Indus fabric. This way, 3 rd millennium B.C denotes a wonderful time in history because this was the period which saw the coexistence of Culture and Civilization for the first time in India. The present paper tries to study this very theme of dichotomy of culture and civilization in India in terms of Indus Valley Civilization and regional Chalcolithic Cultures as a mean to understand the growth, contact and influence of one over the other.
Explorations and excavations are a valid mean to attest or bring forth the historicity of archaeo... more Explorations and excavations are a valid mean to attest or bring forth the historicity of archaeological remains at any site. When the initial explorations and related discoveries shed light on the archaeological potential of ancient site Chandankheda, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, the site was taken up for excavations and INTACH, Chandrapur Chapter during 2009-10. Present paper is a summation of results of excavations at Chandankheda. It explores the antiquity of habitation at the site and its gradual development across various periods.
Early Iron Age in Vidarbha is associated with Megalithic culture which first sees the use of iron... more Early Iron Age in Vidarbha is associated with Megalithic culture which first sees the use of iron on a large scale. The cultural remains of Early Iron Age in Vidarbha region are mostly known to be located in eastern part. This cultural region is more or less confined in the area between Wainganga valley in the east and Wardha valley in the west. The archaeological site Malli was discovered by the first author and owing to its important it was excavated during 2010-11. This was the first megalithic site excavated in Gondia district. Large number of megalithic monuments with typological difference and inner layouts added extra significant to the site. Excavation carried out at Habitation mound brought to light ancient settlement habitational remains, antiquity remains etc. Four megaliths were taken up for excavation revealed hitherto less known type of inner architecture in Vidarbha.
This publication is a collection of the papers presented at the International Conference on the I... more This publication is a collection of the papers presented at the International Conference on the Iron Age in South Asia held at Kansai University on June 2 and 3, 2018, which includes six papers by the scholars who participated in the conference. The Iron Age in South Asia mainly during the first millennium BCE was a period when social transformations towards the formation of urban society and states occurred in various parts of the region. In North India, an urban society emerged in the mid-first millennium BCE as a result of the socio-cultural developments in the Ganga valley that started in the latter part of the second millennium BCE. In the last few centuries of the first millennium BCE, the vast area of South Asia came into an extensive politico-economic network, in which flows of population, goods and information were facilitated, as exemplified by the emergence of the Mauryan Empire. In the southern part of South Asia, the Megalithic culture connected various parts of peninsular India and developed a resource exploitation system and an extensive socio-cultural network, although its chronological developments have not fully been revealed. By the end of the first millennium BCE, urban centres also emerged in the peninsula accelerating the interaction with the urban society in North India and the expansion of the urban network over South Asia. The trades with Southeast Asia and the Middle East can be regarded as a result of this expansion of the urban society in South Asia. However, there are many issues to be investigated to fully understand the significance of the Iron Age in South Asia. The lack of a well-established chronology for this period makes it difficult to trace the socio-cultural developments in the Iron Age society/ies. Our understanding of the technological developments of iron production and its role in the social evolution is also meagre. The articles in this volume summarize the present state of research and future perspectives of the Iron Age archaeology in South Asia. The article by Akinori Uesugi overviews the features of the Iron Age in South Asia. Vivek Dangi's article focuses on the evidence for the Iron Age culture in North India. The Megalithic culture in peninsular India is discussed in region-wise by three scholars; Virag Sontakke's article on the Vidarbha region in the eastern part of modern Maharashtra, K.P. Rao's article on Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Abhayan's article on Kerala. The article by Tomoki Yamada examines the literary evidence on base metals described in Vedic texts. While it is certain that the vast area of South Asia witnessed regional developments of the Iron Age society in various parts of the region, there is no doubt that the different parts of South Asia had common features indicating the interconnection and interaction between regions. It is crucial not only to discuss the regional diversity and uniqueness of Iron Age cultures but also to examine the relationships between the regions to develop a better understanding of the dynamic social transformation of the Iron Age society. Last but not least, I am grateful to the contributors to this volume and the participants to the conference.
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Papers by Virag Sontakke
The Iron Age in South Asia mainly during the first millennium BCE was a period when social transformations towards the formation of urban society and states occurred in various parts of the region. In North India, an urban society emerged in the mid-first millennium BCE as a result of the socio-cultural developments in the Ganga valley that started in the latter part of the second millennium BCE. In the last few centuries of the first millennium BCE, the vast area of South Asia came into an extensive politico-economic network, in which flows of population, goods and information were facilitated, as exemplified by the emergence of the Mauryan Empire. In the southern part of South Asia, the Megalithic culture connected various parts of peninsular India and developed a resource exploitation system and an extensive socio-cultural network, although its chronological developments have not fully been revealed. By the end of the first millennium BCE, urban centres also emerged in the peninsula accelerating the interaction with the urban society in North India and the expansion of the urban network over South Asia. The trades with Southeast Asia and the Middle East can be regarded as a result of this expansion of the urban society in South Asia.
However, there are many issues to be investigated to fully understand the significance of the Iron Age in South Asia. The lack of a well-established chronology for this period makes it difficult to trace the socio-cultural developments in the Iron Age society/ies. Our understanding of the technological developments of iron production and its role in the social evolution is also meagre.
The articles in this volume summarize the present state of research and future perspectives of the Iron Age archaeology in South Asia. The article by Akinori Uesugi overviews the features of the Iron Age in South Asia. Vivek Dangi's article focuses on the evidence for the Iron Age culture in North India. The Megalithic culture in peninsular India is discussed in region-wise by three scholars; Virag Sontakke's article on the Vidarbha region in the eastern part of modern Maharashtra, K.P. Rao's article on Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Abhayan's article on Kerala. The article by Tomoki Yamada examines the literary evidence on base metals described in Vedic texts. While it is certain that the vast area of South Asia witnessed regional developments of the Iron Age society in various parts of the region, there is no doubt that the different parts of South Asia had common features indicating the interconnection and interaction between regions. It is crucial not only to discuss the regional diversity and uniqueness of Iron Age cultures but also to examine the relationships between the regions to develop a better understanding of the dynamic social transformation of the Iron Age society.
Last but not least, I am grateful to the contributors to this volume and the participants to the conference.
Akinori Uesugi