| Dear Friends of Science and Archaeology, | | | | where the cremated remains of the community's |
| Megalithic culture of ancient Kutch. | | | | elders would have been buried. "Carbon dating should |
| Very less has been investigated about ancient | | | | confirm that the burial mound dates to about 2000BC," |
| megalithic culture of Kutch during the pre Harappan | | | | This means the Bronze Age graveyard dates back . |
| and Harappan times. Few known places have been | | | | They have already found a piece of pottery containing |
| investigated some of them are Goniasar , Juni Rayan, | | | | the remains of burnt shells. "It is possible that the |
| Zura Kotadi, Guntali Desalpar, Meghpar Khander vari | | | | enclosure could date as far back as 3000 BC," "But |
| wadi, Todio timbo, Sarli Tombo, Juna Kotada near | | | | we need to find more pottery that has decoration so |
| Roha and Dholavira. But very little work has been done | | | | we can provide a more accurate date to the site." |
| on the subject and the places. One of such an | | | | Megalithic tombs research has a long history, |
| outstanding place is Jangania near NALIYA in | | | | inextricably linked with the development of |
| Abadasa, where graves are specifically shaped | | | | archaeology itself. In the beginning (2400 b.c.-1200 A.D.) |
| according to the shape of body. | | | | interest in for such interest consisted primarily of |
| Generally it is a belief that there are very few such | | | | superstitious awe and religious inspiration. Beyond this, |
| places but it has wide distributed in ancient time in | | | | the curiosity of unknown prehistoric individuals can only |
| Kutch, and so also need to put more interest in the | | | | be imagined. |
| subject and also in investigations of such cultures. | | | | However, many terms describing megalithic |
| During our last geo-archaeological expedition in 2007 | | | | architecture were first recorded. During the Culture |
| we visited few megalithic structures in kutch. Namely | | | | History and subsequent periods the Some felt that the |
| famous Dholavira and three new places namely Todio | | | | chronology only needed minor adjustments and that |
| (Timbo), Timbo SARLI and Old Kotada near Roha. If | | | | new tomb excavations and large catalogs would |
| photo below is not seen clearly an attachment picture | | | | explain the evolution of the tombs. Surprisingly the |
| "Ancient Megalithic Structures.jpg" is added to this | | | | advent of C14 dating in the fifties, which revolutionized |
| email. As we see in composed photograph below | | | | archaeology in many parts of the world, had little |
| DHOLAVIRA has similar circular structures (Bottom Rt | | | | effect on dating tombs, C14 dates began to hint at the |
| Corner). we also discovered similar Megalithic | | | | real antiquity of the tombs, but ceramic analysis |
| structures underground in megalithic places namely | | | | continued to play the major role.the relative chronology. |
| Todio (Timbo) (Bottom Lt Corner), Timbo SARLI | | | | Difficulties in various regional ceramic typologies were |
| (Upper Lt Corner). and Old Kotada near Roha (Upper | | | | isolated and efforts have been made to overcome |
| Rt Corner). | | | | incongruencies between the typological method used |
| So not only few known places do have such hidden | | | | for ceramics, problems in C14 dating, and theories on |
| culture but is widely distributed all over kutch during | | | | megalithic tomb evolution. and related pottery |
| ancient time. we have some explanation of our | | | | contributed. The origin of megalithic tombs , graves has |
| recorded expedition and also a time table below for | | | | been a matter of debate for centuries. The Eastern |
| the ancient Megalithic structures. so we can compare | | | | Tomb Origin Theory is currently not persuasive. The |
| the timings of those structures to relate with the | | | | western origin is tainted by the diffusionists' mind-set. It |
| ancient Civilisations in the Kutch during pre Harappan | | | | is contradicted by radiocarbon dates and the |
| and Harappan times. | | | | evolutionary trajectory of French tombs. The |
| Megalithic Civilisation found in ZURA (KOTADI) of | | | | Autochthonous Theory is supported by a logical, |
| KUTCH - Megalithic SAMADHIs (Graves) of Zura | | | | chronological evolution of tomb types and their spatial |
| Kotadi and potteries and bones | | | | distribution |
| Zura (Jhura) is situated North West of BHUJ (23:24N - | | | | The origin of megalithic tombs is an autochthonous |
| 69:39E) is known place for its Geology and History as | | | | development. This network was held together by a |
| it says Zura - (Fall due to seismic activity at Jhura) of | | | | common ideology expressed through the building of |
| the Kutch. | | | | monumental burial architecture which, Megalithic tomb |
| But its Geology is also associated with its archaeology | | | | construction expanded at different rates , The local |
| and civilisation in that area. Though not much known of | | | | and regional tomb types were derived from local |
| the place but local people are aware of the story of | | | | traditions, local religious interpretations and customs tied |
| those places but far away from the knowledge of | | | | to an interregional ideology. |
| Archaeological importance as the area remained | | | | CHRONOLOGICAL MODEL OF MEGALITHIC |
| unexplored. | | | | CHAMBER EVOLUTION |
| 2km South and SE region of the Village is the Place | | | | 3600-2990/2860 B.C./2860-2400/2300 b.c. 3550 |
| called "KOTADI" as many civilisation names. Area has | | | | 3500-3100 B.C. |
| big elevated area TIMBO having stone wall around but | | | | 3600-3290 B.C./2860-2610 b.c. [3550/3500-3100 B.C. |
| hidden underneath. On exploration many of the Pottery | | | | 3600-3530 B.C./2860-2800 b.c. [3550/3500-3400 B.C.] |
| found in the area including toys parts and pottery of | | | | Primeval-dolmen (urdolmen, normally parallel to |
| two different varieties - Red as usual as also black - | | | | long-mound) |
| as in the area of RAMVAV and LAKHAPAR region | | | | 3550-3460 B.C./2850-2750 b.c. Transitional dolmen |
| civilisation in VAGAD - RAPAR area. | | | | (parallel/perpendicular to long-mound) |
| Rivers in this region all flows from South West to | | | | 3550 B.C./2815 b.c. Top-entrance urdolmen 3530 B.C. |
| North EAST- from slops of the Jhuran Mountain | | | | 2800 b.c. Half-height front-entrance urdolmen and |
| slopes towards the Banni planes where there used to | | | | square-dolmen 3500 B.C./2780 b.c. Extended-dolmen |
| be a lake of the water of the rivers Sarasvati and | | | | with axial capstone |
| sindhu waters in the Rann of KUTCH. | | | | 3480-3290 B.C./2760-2610 b.c. [3400-3100 B.C.] Multiple |
| About 1 Km East of that KOTADI area is the place of | | | | side-stone dolmen (perpendicular to long-mound) |
| the Mystery graves. I would say rather SAMADHIs as | | | | 3480 B.C./2760 b.c. Rectilinear and polygonal |
| I have explained it before as they are the SAMADHIs | | | | extended-dolmen 3450 B.C./2740 b.c. Rectilinear and |
| is a sitting posture and are kept open on the east side | | | | polygonal grand-dolmen |
| of those as are kept in Samadhi rules as explained by | | | | 3400-3100/2970 B.C./2700-2490/2400 b.c. [3250-3100 |
| Mahant Shree Kishordasji. | | | | B.C.] Passage-graves |
| Many of such Samadhi are about some distance from | | | | 3400-3290 B.C./2700-2610 b.c. Transitional chambers |
| the civilisation area as in the Case of GADHVARI | | | | with passage |
| VADI civilisation (Meghpar)- one of samadhi was in | | | | 3400 B.C./2700 b.c. Large polygonal- and |
| KHANDERVARI VADI. | | | | rectilinear-dolmen/protopassage-graves with angled |
| Specimens collected from the region confirms those | | | | corner entrance and passage |
| civilisation and Megalithic Samadhis in the region says | | | | 3360-3100/2970 B.C./2650-2490/2400 b.c. [3250-3100 |
| those to be 2000 BC. | | | | B.C.] Passage-graves* |
| Similar type of Mystery graves of Mystery Shapes | | | | 3360 B.C./2650 b.c. Primeval passage-graves 3290 |
| (shapes are given to the body shapes) are also in | | | | B.C./2610 b.c. Extended passage-graves 3240 B.C. |
| JANGADIA - ABADASA NALIYA -LAKHPAT way. | | | | 2570 b.c. Grand passage-graves |
| those are also Megalithic times graves. | | | | 3320-3100/2970 B.C./2630-2490/2400 b.c. [3250-3100 |
| I would prefer to say those Megalithic SAMADHIs as | | | | B.C.] Complex Chambers |
| that can not be defined as an ordinary graves. I also | | | | 3320 B.C./2630 b.c. Side-chamber passage-graves |
| took an expert opinions from Mahant shree Kishordasji | | | | 3300 B.C./2620 b.c. End-chamber passage-graves |
| of kabir Mandir BHUJ as he is well known personality | | | | 3290 B.C./2610 b.c. Double passage-graves 3260 B.C. |
| of the subjects regarding SAMADHIs. We went | | | | 2580 b.c. Triple passage-graves 3240 B.C./2570 b.c. |
| together there to identify those, and local observation | | | | Dual-passage chambers 3210 B.C./2560 b.c. Single |
| showed that those places has become an open | | | | chamber double passage-graves |
| spaces now as a result of environment and weather. | | | | 3400-2860 B.C./2700-2300 b.c. Gallery-graves |
| and shows skull bones opened from the top side and | | | | 3400 B.C./2700 b.c. Primeval gallery-graves with front- |
| not the Limb bones. so Those are defined as Sitting | | | | or side entrance 3290 B.C./2610 b.c. Extended |
| SAMADHIs. and east side of those SAMADHIs kept | | | | gallery-graves with front- or side entrance 3240 B.C. |
| open as seen shadows towards east in the Evening | | | | 2570 b.c. Grand gallery-graves with front- or |
| pictures.prominent for the region's prehistoric population. | | | | side-entrance |
| Circular graves dating to c. 3000 BC are dotted . stone | | | | From:- YOURS Dr.BHUDIA-Science Group Of INDIA. |
| piled up a round -shaped chamber the site of the first | | | | President:'Kutch Science Foundation'. |
| archaeological excavation when several circular, | | | | Founder :'Kutch Amateurs Astronomers Club - Bhuj - |
| collective tombs like those were excavated. The | | | | Kutch'. |
| excavation of a settlement confirmed the importance | | | | Life Member:'kutch Itihaas |
| of the locale and for this reason the period c. | | | | Parishad'.kutchscience@yahoo.co.in, , |
| 2500-2000 BC. | | | | Do visit our ABOVE Clubs/Groups of Science Groups |
| They are typical of burial mounds of about 2000 BC | | | | of India. |