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Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Rediscovery of Assam's Daojali Hading site unveils iron elements & 2,700-yr-old artefacts
Guwahati: A team of archaeologists, in collaboration with the District Museum, Haflong, has retraced its steps to Daojali Hading — an ancient Neolithic site in Assam's Dima Hasao district — and unearthed a fresh cache of artefacts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The rediscovery of the site, which was first excavated in the 1960s, has led to a breakthrough: the discovery of iron elements for the first time, potentially marking it as the earliest known site with evidence of iron use in the northeast. The reconnaissance survey, which took place during March and April, happened around 5-6km away from the commercial town of Langting along the NH 27 route. It unearthed artefacts that included a double shouldered Celt — a chiselled stone tool — chord marked potteries, pastels-mortars, a polished stone arrowhead, and more which dated around 2,700 years old. "The range of domestic and utilitarian artefacts confirms the importance of this region, as it is an important archaeological site of the state, which indicates signs of early human population, likely by the Austroasiatic speaking communities, who were among the early settlers, based on archaeological and linguistic data. These discoveries collectively offer valuable insights into the region's prehistoric lithic and emerging metallurgical traditions," said Shring Dao Langthasa, one of the archaeologists, who had led the survey. Among the assemblage, an iron slag and other ferruginous (containing iron ore) materials, were found for the first time. "Until now, the earliest scientifically dated evidence of iron usage in the region came from Meghalaya, estimated to be around 2,300 years old. However, items currently undergoing testing in Dima Hasao district may predate this. If the dates are confirmed, it could mean that the first traces of iron usage in India were discovered in Dima Hasao. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ...," he said. It is one of the eight Neolithic sites identified in the region — Daojali Hading and Sarutaru from Assam, while the others sites are from Meghalaya, two from Manipur, one from Arunachal, and one from Nagaland. "Early findings revealed that the site had ties to other eastern and southeast Asia, likely through ancient trade networks. The discovery of jadeite stones, also found in China and uniquely discovered from Daojali Hading supports the theory," Shring Dao Langthasa said The team involved Shring Dao Langthasa and Bhubanjoy Langthasa of the department of archaeology in collaboration with Bidisha Bordoloi, District Museum officer, along with professors Sukanya Sharma and Marco Mitri.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Neolithic habitation found in Assam's Dima Hasao
An archaeological site in Assam's Dima Hasao district, uncovered but damaged during the construction of an arterial road in the 1960s, has yielded artefacts that establish it as a Neolithic habitation zone dating back to more than 2,700 years. The discovery of a furnace and iron slag, indicating metallurgical activities, has provided 'substantial support' for earlier hypotheses that Daojali Hading was a major prehistoric settlement in the northeastern part of India. These artefacts were among several found by a multidisciplinary team during a recent archaeological reconnaissance survey at Daojali Hading on the ridges within the Langting-Mupa Reserve Forest off National Highway 27. The team was led by Shring Dao Langthasa and Bhubanjoy Langthasa of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council's (NCHAC) Department of Archaeology. Bidisha Bordoloi, heading the District Museum in Haflong, the headquarters of Dima Hasao, about 340 km from Guwahati, collaborated in the survey, while Sukanya Sharma of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, and Marco Mitri of Shillong's North Eastern Hill University provided expert guidance. The Langting-Mupa Reserve Forest has long been recognised for its Neolithic significance. The Daojali Hading site in the vicinity was uncovered during the construction of the Lumding-Haflong Road in the 1960s, leading to systematic excavations from 1962 to 1964 by professors T.C. Sharma and M.C. Goswami of the Gauhati University's Department of Anthropology. These investigations revealed polished double-shouldered celts, cord-marked pottery, mortars and pestles, besides jadeite stone, confirming the site's neolithic affiliation. The unearthed artefacts linked the site with the broader Eastern and Southeastern Asian Neolithic cultural complex. Past buried by road The findings, however, did not stop the road construction work over the excavated area. The road damaged a large part of the site, virtually burying Dima Hasao's neolithic past. Prof Sharma revisited the site in 1985 for further investigations. The new survey was undertaken by following his cues. The team recovered a significant assemblage of cord-marked and low-fired potsherds, grinding and polishing stones, and polished stone tools, indicative of a potential settlement. This was followed up by laying four trial trenches. 'The reconnaissance survey yielded a rich assemblage of artefacts, which were reported earlier, such as polished double-shouldered celts, cord-marked pottery, grinding stones, mortars, pestles, and double-edged celts,' Dr Shring Langthasa said. 'However, iron slag and other ferruginous materials were identified for the first time. Additionally, a polished arrowhead, hafted celts, miniature adzes, broken tools, unfinished flakes, and charcoal samples were recovered,' he told The Hindu. While some trenches offered only contextual data, others produced significant finds such as limestone deposits, iron slag, and ferruginous materials, indicating early metalworking activities. The presence of both finished and unfinished lithic tools highlighted technological diversity and on-site tool production, offering valuable insights into the region's prehistoric lithic and emerging metallurgical traditions. More research sought Further exploration of the site led to the discovery of a furnace accompanied by iron slag — strong evidence of early metallurgical activity, the archaeologists said. These ferruginous materials are being studied at the Department of Geology of Gauhati University. The testing and analysis of artefacts, soil, and other collected samples are being conducted at the Archaeological Sciences Laboratory in IIT, Guwahati. A statement from the team said the findings indicate that Daojali Hading was more than just a lithic production site. 'The range of domestic and utilitarian artefacts confirms that it was a settled neolithic habitation zone, a conclusion that aligns with earlier interpretations but lacked definitive proof until now,' it said. The team said that the site stands as a crucial marker of prehistoric community life in India's northeast. It called for more research, including radiocarbon dating of organic remains and comparative studies with other Neolithic sites in the region. The team thanked NCHAC's Chief Executive Member, Debolal Gorlosa, and Executive Member for Cultural Affairs, Monjit Naiding, for supporting the survey as a heritage conservation project. Among the team members was Sudip Kemprai, who interpreted old maps to find the site.
