A three-year long exacavation at Rakhigarhi in Haryana’s Hissar district has unearthed another Harappan nucleus Harappan town, which could have the ‘provincial capital’ of the Harappan civilization.
The excavation, being carried out by the Archaeological Survey of Indian (ASI) since December 1997, has revealed some important results. This will give us an opportunity to assess its potentiality as the provincial capital of Harappan days.
Two distinct cultures have been identified in the course of excavations- namely early Harappan and mature Harappan. The site of excavation located in the plains of the ancient Drishadvati River, happens to be the “one of the largest Harappan site” measuring 230 hectares, next to Mohenjodaro.
To a question on the possibility of identification of the provincial capital of the Harappan civilization, which had flourishing trade, among the explored Harappan sites of the Saraswati- Drishadvati valley, Rakhigarhi seems to be the largest, thereby perhaps deserving the status of provincial capital of the eastern extension of the Harappan hegemony.
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The discovery of circular structures at the entrance of the valley, a unique feature of early Harappan days, has also been reported. The structures are outlined by two or three courses of mud brick with post-holes at intervals.
The mature Harappa, a period of urbanism characterised by walled settlement, writing and use of standardised weights and measures, has been traced at the site. The evidence of mud brick structure of granary sub-divided into cubicles indicates surplus production of food grains and storage system. The site has also yielded samples of barley, wheat and rice.
The dead were buried in a long pit in a North- south orientation. Grave goods generally consisted of pots kept behind the head of the dead. A couple of female burials also had shell bangles in their left hand while one had a miniature model of fillet in gold.