E-Paper
AU gets ASI nod to excavate Rajput era site
THERE IS excitement among the experts of Allahabad University's Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology. They are gearing up to start a dig at an archaeologically promising site near the IERT Hostel that could throw light on the life of the people and their settlement as it existed during the famous Rajput era between 10-12 AD. "We had carried out a survey of the site about two years back during the 2003-04 academic session and then sent a detailed report about it to the Archaeological Survey of India .
THERE IS excitement among the experts of Allahabad University's Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology.
They are gearing up to start a dig at an archaeologically promising site near the IERT Hostel that could throw light on the life of the people and their settlement as it existed during the famous Rajput era between 10-12 AD. "We had carried out a survey of the site about two years back during the 2003-04 academic session and then sent a detailed report about it to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) seeking their permission to go-ahead with a dig.
Their green signal has now been received by us and we are planning to start the dig in the first week of March," informed Prof JN Pandey of AU's Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology Department, who had discovered two oil-presses during a morning walk in 2003 and had then carried out a survey of the area situated at Balam Baghada, just west of the IERT Hostel.
He said that the dig will be carried out under the supervision of the head of the AU Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology Prof RP Tripathi by a team led by him and comprising of his colleagues including Dr AO Ojha and Dr CD Pandey besides a few technical staff members.
"The dig is expected to go on for a month and could result in some vital finds like coins, stone statutes and idols, other sculptures besides some earthenware antiquities that would throw light on the settlement of the time, the life of the people, their customs and rituals besides their trade practices," he added.
Prof Pandey said the dig could also reveal details of a wide spectrum of activities related to oil manufacturing from cultivation and collection of oilseeds, technology of oil extraction and the occupational groups associated with it as it existed during the period. "After completing the dig, we will then be sending a detailed report to the AU as well as ASI authorities," he informed.
Allahabad University's Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology is one of the very few departments of an educational institution in the country that is granted permission by the ASI to carry out actual digs and excavations at archaeological sites.
In the past, AU experts have carried out excavations at Sringverpur between 1985-95, in Jhunsi between 1995-2000 and Hettapatti in 2003-04.
