Excavations At Adam - A City of Asika Janapada, 1988-1992 (Old and Rare Books in a Set of 2 Volumes)

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ForewordAdam, in District Nagpur, Maharashtra is another ancient settlement located in the Wardha-Wainganga Valley which was enclosed by a rampart. The site was subjected to excavation by a team of the Excavation Branch, Nagpur headed by Dr. Amarendra Nath, the then Superintending Archaeologist of the Branch. The excavations have brought to light a continuous sequence of cultures beginning from the makeshift type of Mesolithic occupation to the well organized settlements of the Satavahanas. The site is associated with the Asika Janpada on the basis of inscribed terracotta sealing bearing this legend.

Outcome of Adam excavations, carried out by Dr. Amarendra Nath, has been of particular interest for me. Once, while turning the pages of 'Indian Archaeology 1988- 89- A Review', some illustrations of painted black-and-red ware potsherds revealed from Adam excavations immediately drew my attention. These specimens appeared closely comparable with those found during our excavations at Raja Nala-ka-tila in district Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, where such potsherds were found to be in association of iron artifacts dated to circa 1200-1300 Be on the basis of radiocarbon determinations provided by BSIP and PRL for the charcoal samples collected from the same deposits. Since these early dates for iron were about 500 years earlier than 900- 800 Be (then supposed lower antiquity of iron for Ganga Valley and adjoining areas), I was reviewing the status of other comparable evidence. Painted potsherds from Adam provided very important clue in this regard. Further enquiries from the excavator revealed that even at Adam, such potsherds are associated with iron artifacts and radiocarbon dates for their cultural deposit going back to 1200-1300 Be. With the permission of the excavator, I referred these dates (probably for the first time) in my articles dealing with early antiquity of iron in India, during 2002-2003. At that point of time, I never imagined that one day I may get an opportunity to write foreword of the Adam Excavation Report. Obviously it gives me great pleasure doing so.

I am sure, that the present Memoir by Dr. Nath in two volumes would. be found useful and interesting as its contents are elaborate and discussed at length with suitable references.

I appreciate the Endeavour of Dr. Nath for writing this well-informed report which could he published with the combined efforts of Dr. D.N. Dimri (Director), Abinash Mohanty (Dy. Superintending Archaeologist) and Hoshiar Singh (Production Officer) in Publication Section of the Survey.

Preface After Pauni, under the shared ecological zone of the Wardha-Wainganga valley lays another settlement at Adam enclosed by a rampart. The site, protected by the Maharashtra State Department of Archaeology, was subjected to excavations during 1988-1992 for four field seasons. The present memoir embodies the results of excavations with certain observations for the indulgence of scholars in the field. It is _ divided into two volumes. Volume I consists of write-ups on introduction, physical features, cultural sequence, chronology, the cuttings, structural remains, burials, stone tools, pottery, beads, pendants, bullied and terracotta (chapter I to XI) while volume II ivory, bone, shell, metal, glass, stone objects, seals,' sealings, signet, numismatic data, technical reports and conclusion (chapter XII to XIX).

Vestiges of data unfolded at the site have completely transformed the complexion of the archaeological and historical perspective of the Central Deccan. The site has exposed a sequence of culture emerging from the Mesolithic era of the terminal Pleistocene followed by occupations of the Chalco lithic, the Iron and the early historical periods. The calibrated 14C dates place the early farmers of the Wardha-Wainganga valley to circa 1800 BCE and the advent of iron technology to circa 1400 BCE. Such a phenomenal chronological data of absolute nature has never been arrived at from this region.

Also noticeable is the construction of a rampart considered to be a monumental public architecture raised with the introduction of iron technology in circa 1400 BCE. It was built over the precedence layers of Chalco lithic occupation. The height of the rampart was raised in the subsequent periods of cultural and economic growth and advancement. Within the rampart arterial type of settlement pattern is noticed. Careful documentation of structures made it possible to determine their nature and function.

Equally noteworthy are the plethora of numismatic and sphragistic data of great archaeological and historical consequences. These data have helped in ascertaining the chronology of archaeological strata of the pre-Satavahana and Satavahana horizon, besides discerning a type of the punch-marked coins of local genre. Among the finds of seals and sealings, issues of toponomy and royal nature have been discussed at length.

A variety of finds denoting cross country interaction with marts like Taxila, Kausambi, Vidisha and Arikamedu, explain the role of Adam in the trans- Vindhyan trade network which led to brisk trading activity. Such a prodigious growth of the site could be possible due to natural setting and exploitation of resources under the table leadership of Vindhyashakti, a feudatory of the later Satavahana family. He was a prodigy who after the fall of the Satavahanas became the progenitor of the Vakataka dynasty.

Besides fulfilling the objectives set for the excavations, the results have opened up new vistas of research for future. The memoir, in the ultimate analysis, contains a variety of data which would crave indulgence of students and scholars in the field. The views expressed in earlier publications pertaining to the findings at the site may be, in certain cases, set aside in the light of fresh observations made in this report.

Introduction Some six decades from now Sir Mortimer Wheeler had emphasized the need of systematic study of proto-historic and early Historical cultures of India with a view to bridge the 'black millennium' separating the Harappa civilization from the cultures of early Historical period. Since then, systematic excavations and sporadic explorations have fruitfully thrown light on the prehistoric and early Historical stratum of the subcontinent. The sequence observed at Brahmagiri in 1947, provided a framework for the succession of cultures and their chronology in the Deccani, The subsequent excavations in mid-Narmada? and upper Godavari valley>, in the' early fifties linked the Harappa cultures of the western India with the post Harappa Chalcolithic cultures of the upper Deccan.

In the western Deccan, the excavations at Daimabad on Pravara, have not only revealed a late Harappa occupation in the lower levels but also exposed in succession, the culmination of post Harappa Chalcolithic cultures of Malwa and Jorwe affiliation in succession around 800 BCE.4 In addition to Daimabad, extension of the Malwa and Jorwe cultures were largely studied at Inamgaon>, situated in the drainage system of Bhima, which covered the settlement and the subsistence pattern of the early farming communities of the western Deccan (Fig. 1.1).

A. PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

As compared to the progress made in understanding the early farming communities of western Deccan, Vidarbha region of central Deccan could not gain much importance. Until recently, Vidarbha featured, largely, as a blank on the Chalcolithic map of India. However, sporadic explorations in the region brought to light a few loosely termed Chalcolithic sites viz. Mardas in Warora taluk, Masalarith? in Chandrapur taluk of Chandrapur district, Ashti and Thameswanae in Gadchirauli district, all yielding dull slipped black painted red and painted black and red wares associated with microlithic tools. Since these native pottery types were already known from the excavated sites like Kaundinyapura? and Paunar-? from the horizons not free from iron, their association with a copper using horizon remained a subject of' debate.

However, the excavations at Tuljapur Garhi 11 in the Purna valley with Malwa and Jorwe ceramic traditions ultimately placed the region on the Chalcolithic map of India, but these pottery traditions did not traverse the divide of the Wardha-Wainganga. However, an overlap with local pottery tradition was noticed in a small scale excavation at Tharsa P, taluk Ramtek, district Nagpur (Fig. 1.2).

The local ceramic tradition with an overlap was noticed in iron using context at a number .of excavated sites of the Wardha- Wainganga valley (18° 42' - 21° 43' Nand 77° 30' - 81° 03' E). During the period, the iron ore reserves of the valley became the main source of exploitation, besides its arable flood plains for agricultural produce.

These natural resources became the main source for the early farming· communities to occupy the area and it was further exploited by the Iron using inhabitants. These Iron using people imbibed rich Megalithic traditions of peninsular India through its southern corridors. Further, sustained fieldwork in the valley has also brought to light some fortified settlements coeval to those reported in the Gangetic plains, which largely come into existence during the formation of the second urbanization. Such settlements have been noticed in close proximity in the Krishna-Tungabhadra valley, besides the Wainganga valley. These urban centres played an important role in the hinterland as well as sea born trade activities.

The excavations at Adam (21° 00' N and 79° 27' E) during 1987-1992 have offered corroborative evidences in filling up the underlying archaeological gaps prevailing in the Wardha-Wainganga valley, as well as produced some fresh data of vital importance which would open up new vistas in reconstructing the history of the region. In nutshell, the site has revealed a continuous sequence of cultures starting with say Mesolithic times and continuing right up to the decline of the later Satavahana power.

B. ARCHAEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Being one of the earliest geological formations of the subcontinent, the archaeology of Vidarbha has reported prehistoric artifacts of Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeo lithic period, at sites like Papamiya Ki Tekdi! and Jhari Mangrul? in district Chandrapur. Apart from these stray sites, strewn allover Vidarbha have yielded stone tools of different Paleolithic periods. Majority of them have shown the Upper Paleolithic assemblages together with micro lithic tools of the Mesolithic affinity.

Geometric and non-geometric tools, besides tiny blades, represent the assemblage. Among the important sites of micro lithic assemblages, mention may be made of Kodamendhi- on Sur, Pachkheri on Ambition, both in Nagpur district and Ghosikhurd'' on Wainga a, district Bhandara.

As regards the assemblage of Neolithic tools in Vidarbha is concerned, the excavations at Tharsa> have revealed it in Chalcolithic context, together with microliths and red ware. Apart from this, there are stray polished tools reported from sites like Kaundinyapura,' Mandhal, Gadh, Chandur, Salivary and Pauni (Fig. 1.2).

Among the sites of Chalcolithic affinity, consisting of red ware and microlithic elements have been reported at sites like Masalarith'' and Marda.? district Chandrapur, Tharsa-v and Sirkanda,'! district Nagpur and Bhawad 12 district Bhandara. Noticeably the characteristic pottery types and micro lithic elements reported from these sites are spread in the Wardha-Wainganga valley, which extensively gets corroborated from the excavations at Adam. The assemblage indicates a native origin; hence the horizon has been termed as Vidarbha Chalcolithic. Tuljapur Garhi,13 on the other hand, has reported Chalcolithic pottery types akin to Malwa-Jorwe traditions, suggesting its eastern most extension, at the same time confirming the western limit of distribution of Vidarbha Chalcolithic ceramic tradition within the Wardha-Wainganga valley.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages