5,300-year-old Early Harappan settlement found near Lakhpat
Ahmedabad: A team of researchers has unearthed a 5,300-year-old settlement at Lakhapar village near Lakhpat in Kutch district, dating back to the Early Harappan period. The site is believed to have existed when Dholavira, a Harappan acropolis now a Unesco World Heritage site, was in its formative stages, say experts.
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The discovery is important due to its proximity to Juna Khatiya village, where over 125 Early Harappan-era graves were discovered in 2023. The discovery is part of a cluster of Early Harappan sites in Lakhpat that also included Padta, discovered in 2024 by the same group.
"The site was identified around 2022 with the help of Narayan Jajani, former Sarpanch of Lakhapar village, due to the presence of a mound. After permission from the owner of the agricultural land, we carried out the excavation on both sides of the Gaduli-Lakhapar road in an area of around 3 hectares," said Dr Rajesh SV, project lead, along with Dr Abhayan GS, both assistant professors at the Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala.
The researchers said that in Gujarat, there are two major sites associated with Early Harappan burial practices – Juna Khatiya, discovered by the University of Kerala, and Dhaneti by the MS University of Baroda – both in Kutch district. "While an associated population is yet to be identified in the case of Dhaneti, in the case of Juna Khatiya, it has direct links with the Lakhapar settlement from the same era and similar artefacts.
The graves in Juna Khatiya were, in fact, the starting point for us to look for a settlement that may have buried its dead some distance away from the settlement," said Dr Rajesh.
The Lakhapar site is near a rivulet, which may have provided the settlers with a perennial water source, said researchers. Some of the discoveries from the site include a large stone structure, a human burial site, along with a significant assemblage of pottery and artefacts.
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Some of the earliest pottery shards date back to 3,300 BCE, they added.
"Particularly significant is the discovery of a distinctive Early Harappan ceramic tradition known as pre-Prabhas, previously reported from only three sites in Gujarat: Prabhas Patan, Datrana, and Janan. This rare ceramic type, characterised by specific shapes and composition, suggests the influence of regional chalcolithic communities during the Early Harappan period," said Dr Abhayan.
What interested the researchers is Lakhapar site's close connection with other Early Harappan sites of the Gujarat region in terms of pottery and other artefacts – semi-precious stone beads made of carnelian, agate, amazonite, and steatite, as well as shell beads, shell bangles, copper objects, terracotta objects, grinding stones, hammer stones, lithic tools, and manufacturing debris. Stone blades made of chert indicate a close Sindh connection, added researchers.
Some other finds, such as remains of domesticated animals – cattle, sheep, goat – along with fish bones and edible shell fragments, point to the diet and way of life for Early Harappans inhabiting the settlement. Experts have also collected some remains of plants for further analysis.
Researchers said that the larger project in the region to find Early Harappan settlements – older than several of the better-known sites – is ongoing in collaboration with academic partners from Spain, USA, Japan, and Indian institutions such as KSKV Kachchh University, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Deccan College, and Archaeological Survey of India, among others.
BOX
Unique burial at site
with ceramic remains
The site is located around 1.5 km from Juna Khatiya, the site of over 125 Early Harappan-era graves. From Lakhapar, only one burial is found, which has skeletal remains in poorly preserved conditions. It is the only known burial with pre-Prabhas ceramics as burial goods. It is notable that Juna Khatiya has different era graves, giving an extensive idea of burial practices over 5,000 years ago in the region.
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
5,300-year-old Early Harappan settlement found near Lakhpat
Ahmedabad: A team of researchers has unearthed a 5,300-year-old settlement at Lakhapar village near Lakhpat in Kutch district, dating back to the Early Harappan period. The site is believed to have existed when Dholavira, a Harappan acropolis now a Unesco World Heritage site, was in its formative stages, say experts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The discovery is important due to its proximity to Juna Khatiya village, where over 125 Early Harappan-era graves were discovered in 2023. The discovery is part of a cluster of Early Harappan sites in Lakhpat that also included Padta, discovered in 2024 by the same group. "The site was identified around 2022 with the help of Narayan Jajani, former Sarpanch of Lakhapar village, due to the presence of a mound. After permission from the owner of the agricultural land, we carried out the excavation on both sides of the Gaduli-Lakhapar road in an area of around 3 hectares," said Dr Rajesh SV, project lead, along with Dr Abhayan GS, both assistant professors at the Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala. The researchers said that in Gujarat, there are two major sites associated with Early Harappan burial practices – Juna Khatiya, discovered by the University of Kerala, and Dhaneti by the MS University of Baroda – both in Kutch district. "While an associated population is yet to be identified in the case of Dhaneti, in the case of Juna Khatiya, it has direct links with the Lakhapar settlement from the same era and similar artefacts. The graves in Juna Khatiya were, in fact, the starting point for us to look for a settlement that may have buried its dead some distance away from the settlement," said Dr Rajesh. The Lakhapar site is near a rivulet, which may have provided the settlers with a perennial water source, said researchers. Some of the discoveries from the site include a large stone structure, a human burial site, along with a significant assemblage of pottery and artefacts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Some of the earliest pottery shards date back to 3,300 BCE, they added. "Particularly significant is the discovery of a distinctive Early Harappan ceramic tradition known as pre-Prabhas, previously reported from only three sites in Gujarat: Prabhas Patan, Datrana, and Janan. This rare ceramic type, characterised by specific shapes and composition, suggests the influence of regional chalcolithic communities during the Early Harappan period," said Dr Abhayan. What interested the researchers is Lakhapar site's close connection with other Early Harappan sites of the Gujarat region in terms of pottery and other artefacts – semi-precious stone beads made of carnelian, agate, amazonite, and steatite, as well as shell beads, shell bangles, copper objects, terracotta objects, grinding stones, hammer stones, lithic tools, and manufacturing debris. Stone blades made of chert indicate a close Sindh connection, added researchers. Some other finds, such as remains of domesticated animals – cattle, sheep, goat – along with fish bones and edible shell fragments, point to the diet and way of life for Early Harappans inhabiting the settlement. Experts have also collected some remains of plants for further analysis. Researchers said that the larger project in the region to find Early Harappan settlements – older than several of the better-known sites – is ongoing in collaboration with academic partners from Spain, USA, Japan, and Indian institutions such as KSKV Kachchh University, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Deccan College, and Archaeological Survey of India, among others. BOX Unique burial at site with ceramic remains The site is located around 1.5 km from Juna Khatiya, the site of over 125 Early Harappan-era graves. From Lakhapar, only one burial is found, which has skeletal remains in poorly preserved conditions. It is the only known burial with pre-Prabhas ceramics as burial goods. It is notable that Juna Khatiya has different era graves, giving an extensive idea of burial practices over 5,000 years ago in the region.
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2 days ago
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Kerala University's archaeological excavation unearths 5,300-year-old Early Harappan settlement in Gujarat
Archaeologists from the University of Kerala have unearthed a 5,300-year-old settlement near Lakhapar village in western Kachchh, Gujarat. The excavation has revealed an Early Harappan habitation site, located near the now-quiet Gandi river, once a perennial water source, spanning nearly three hectares on either side of the Gaduli-Lakhapar road. The site was first identified in 2022 by a team led by Abhayan G.S. and Rajesh S.V. from the Department of Archaeology, Kerala University. The collaborative project, involving both international and national institutions, builds upon the team's earlier work at the nearby Early Harappan necropolis of Juna Khatiya, just 1.5 km away, where they had documented 197 burials over three field seasons since 2019. Critical context The Lakhapar discoveries now provide critical habitation context to those burials, suggesting a dynamic, interconnected cultural landscape in the arid Kachchh desert. The excavation uncovered structural remnants, walls made of local sandstone and shale, indicating well-planned construction activities. Particularly striking is the presence of pottery from both Early and Classical Harappan phases, dating back to around 3300 BC. Among these finds is the extremely rare Pre-Prabhas Ware, previously known from only three sites across Gujarat. The presence of this distinct ceramic tradition at Lakhapar points to a culturally unique group within the larger Harappan civilization. Burial site Even more intriguing is the discovery of a human burial in the vicinity of the settlement. The skeleton, though poorly preserved, was interred directly in a pit with no visible architecture or markers and accompanied by Pre-Prabhas Ware pottery. This is the first known burial to include this rare ware, hinting at a previously undocumented ritual practice or subgroup within the Early Harappan population, the researchers point out. 'Beyond architecture and pottery, the excavation revealed a rich array of artefacts: semiprecious stone beads made of carnelian, agate, amazonite, and steatite; shell ornaments, copper and terracotta objects; and lithic tools. Of particular note are Rohri chert blades, which indicate connections with the Sindh region,' Dr. Abhayan stated. Animal remains, including cattle, sheep, goats, fish bones and edible shell fragments, suggest that inhabitants relied on both animal husbandry and aquatic resources. Samples have also been collected for archaeobotanical analysis to understand plant use and ancient diet. According to Dr. Rajesh, what sets Lakhapar apart is that while Gujarat has yielded several Early Harappan burial sites, such as Dhaneti, evidence of associated settlements has been elusive until now. Lakhapar bridges that critical gap, offering a rare glimpse into both the living and the dead of the same cultural group.
