Sinauli

Sinauli
Archaeological site
Sinauli
Coordinates: 29°14′46″N 77°21′03″E / 29.24611°N 77.35083°E / 29.24611; 77.35083Coordinates: 29°14′46″N 77°21′03″E / 29.24611°N 77.35083°E / 29.24611; 77.35083
State Uttar Pradesh
Time zone UTC+5.30 (Indian Standard Time)

Sinauli is an archaeological site located in Barot tehsil, Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh, India, where 125 graves belonging to Indus Valley Civilisation were found.[1] These graves are dated c. 2200–1800 BCE. Sinauli, discovered in 2005,[2] is a fairly recent addition to the list of Indus Valley Civilisation sites in India.[3]

Excavations

The site at Sinauli was accidentally discovered by people levelling agricultural land. The Archaeological Survey of India began excavations at the site during September 2005.[4] The site has been categorised as a prominent cemetery of the late Harappan period.[4] There is evidence suggesting animal sacrifice in some middle and upper level burials.[5]

Burials

As of 2007, the graves found are dated c. 2200–1800 BCE.[5] and are 125 in number. These are all oriented in a north-south direction and most are identified as primary burials. Some of the burials are identified as secondary and multiple burials and animal bones have also been discovered next to human bones. The age of the buried starts from 1–2 years and includes all age groups and both male and female. Burial goods generally consisted of odd number of vases (3, 5, 7, 9, 11 etc.) placed near the head, with dish-on-stand usually placed below the hip area as well as antenna swords, sheath of copper, terracotta figurines, gold and copper bangles, beads of semi-precious stones (two necklaces of long barrel shape) etc.[4]

Remains of a burnt brick wall with a finished inner surface ran along the eastern side of the burial. A dish-on-stand and a violin shaped flat copper container having nearly 35 arrowhead shaped copper pieces placed in a row are included in other important findings from Sinauli.[5]

A burial ground of this number should have been associated with a large habitation site, but so far such a habitation nearby has not been located.[5]

Dish-on-Stand

The survey found that a dish-on-stand was usually placed below the hip area, but in some cases was placed near the head or feet. It was clearly an important part of burial goods. Its mushroom-shaped form has not been found at any other archaeological sites. It was used as holding stand and in one case, held the head of a goat.[5]

Chariots

Excavations conducted at Sinauli in 2018 have yielded the remains of two "chariots" along with eight well-preserved corpses. The burials are said to belong to the period 2000 - 1800 BCE and included chariot parts like wheels, axles and poles. The archaeological team proposed a connection with royalty and a warrior class for the findings.[6][7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "ASI unearths 'first-ever' physical evidence of chariots in Copper-Bronze age".
  2. ↑ "Grave Secrets of Sinauli".
  3. ↑ "ASI finds corpses, 'chariots' at contemporary Harappan site, royalty angle being explored".
  4. 1 2 3 "Excavations - 2006-2007". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Singh, Upinder (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. New Delhi: Pearson Education India. p. 215. ISBN 978-813-17-1120-0. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  6. ↑ "In A First, Chariot From Pre-Iron Age Found During Excavation In UP's Sanauli". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
  7. ↑ "ASI finds corpses, 'chariots' at contemporary Harappan site, royalty angle being explored". ThePrint.
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