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Gola Dhoro is an archaeological site belonging to
Indus Valley civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation, was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300  BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form from 2600 BCE ...
, situated at the head of the Gulf of Kutch, near Bagasara in
Kutch district Kutch district (), officially spelled Kachchh is a district of Gujarat state in western India, with its headquarters (capital) at Bhuj. Covering an area of 45,674 km2, it is the largest district of India. The area of Kutch is larger than ...
of
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. The site contains a small fortified area of approximately 50x50 m with living quarters and manufacturing sites both inside and outside this area.


Historical significance

The site is believed to date from 2500 to 2000 BC. There has been excavation in this place from 1996 onward was undertaken by The Maharaja Sayyajirao University, Baroda and a unique
Harappa Harappa () is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal, that takes its name from a modern village near the former course of the Ravi River, which now runs to the north. Harappa is the type site of the Bronze Age Indus ...
n seal (from modern
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
), which is hollow inside and first of its kind, was found here. The excavation of this site has revealed evidence of manufacture and trade and highlighted importance of such smaller Harappan sites, in the economic development of Indus Valley Civilization.


Artifacts found

Craft items of shell, semi-precious stone, stone beads, faience and copper, unique unicorn seal with hollow place looking some sort of container inside, other harappan seals (total six), copper knives with bone handles, copper artifacts, etc.


Copper objects

Being a small size settlement, the number of copper objects found at Gola Dhoro is very high. A copper vessel containing eight bangles, an axe probably used for recycling precious metal, copper knives with bone handles are found. A unique copper battle-axe (''parashu'') is also an interesting find from this area and the small size of the battle-axe suggests it as presumably used for ritualistic purposes. The unique copper knives were found in association with a large amount of fish bones, suggesting that the knives were used for drying fish. However, no evidence of copper smelting has been found, but heavily tampered clay crucibles with copper adhering in them have been found, suggesting that they might have been used for copper smelting.


Harappan seals

Considering its relatively small size of less than 2 hectares, Archaeologists did not expect much from Gola Dhoro, but they were surprised to find five inscribed steatite seals with a unicorn depicted on each. These types of seals are fairly common in urban centres of Indus Valley civilization, which would have been used in trade related activities. In addition to the engraved inscription and unicorn picture, one of the seals has a deep scooped out rectangular socket like cavity, the purpose of which is not clear. Such seals with sockets is a unique find and not reported in any other Harappan site.


Importance

Although this settlement was small in area, with 1.92 hectares, it had a wall measuring 5.20m in width built in three successive stages and there was flourishing craft and trading activities. Gola Dhoro specialised in the production of shell bangles and semi-precious stone beads as well as objects of copper and faience. Bead manufacturing was undertaken mainly outside the walled area of the town and objects of faience were manufactured only within the walled area. This unwalled town with a walled citadel, seems to have been a centre for trade and industry. Large blackware storage jars suggest the settlement engaged in overseas trade, since such vessels were used for transporting goods to Magan (present-day
Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...
).


See also

* List of Indus Valley Civilization sites * Shikarpur, Gujarat * Kerala-no-dhoro


References

{{reflist


External links


Map of Gola Dhoro

Gola Dhoro archaeological site
Indus Valley Civilisation sites Archaeological sites in Gujarat Former populated places in India