Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain
by Chirantani Das | 143,447 words
This page relates “Lithic industry of the Varanasi region� as it appears in the case study regarding the settlements in the Early Historic Ganga Plain made by Chirantani Das. The study examines this process in relation to Rajagriha and Varanasi (important nodal centres of the respective Mahajanapadas named Magadha and Kashi).
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 3 - Lithic industry of the ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« region
Sites like Mahagara, Chopani Mando, Koldihwa and many other have shown direct evidences of local stone working and availability. The nearby kaimur range was a rich deposit of semi-precious stones. Ordinary and semi-precious stones both occurred in Mirzapur district, lying close to ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«. Mainly Vindhyan raw materials of chert, chalcedony were processed at Susipar or Baragaon of ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«proximity. An orbit of lithic industry grew in the Vindhya-Allahabad and Sarayupar area. Later this was developed and elaborated. Many more BRW, BSW sites joined this orbit. Among them Narhan, Banimilia-Bahera and Patharaha of Mirzapur district, Manjhi and Chirand at Saran district, Kakoria, Masaon and Joharganj I, II of Varanasi district were noted. A commercial circuit was created by the riverine route. From Mirzapur located almost in the Vindhyas, via the ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå the traffic reached Allahabad and ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«. From ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«, the cargo sometimes reached Ghazipur through the ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå and the Gomti. This riverine transport was most skilfully utilised in case of transport of Chunar sandstone to various sites. Chunar quarry area was the most important lithic resource area of ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«â€�³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó region and was on the peak of its operation in the early historical times. More than 450 ancient quarries were located in this region.
From the AÅ›okan time to the medieval times of 13th/ 14th centuries they were continuously on use. Quarried blocks of Chunar area are mostly of cylindrical shape with the intention of rolling them down the hills and hence to provide an easy transport through the gradual slopes of hills and nala beds. The blocks were then transported through the river ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄåup to ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«with the help of wooden rafts. Here the blocks were dumped. Finally they were distributed to various customer areas like ³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó by various smaller streams like Rajapur nala, a tributary of the ³Ò²¹á¹…gÄå. ³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó was a chief client site of Chunar sandstone. They were profusely used for building purposes, for making architecture, icon, votive ²õ³ÙÅ«±è²¹²õ etc. since the AÅ›okan to early medieval times most of ³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó archaeological remains were made of Chunar sandstone. It has been found though the stone quarrying was done at Chunar, crafting was done locally.
Most stone crafting workshops were small settlements located along the navigational route between ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« and ³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó.[1] So, in the whole of Chunar-³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ«-³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó a complete and foolproof system of stone quarrying and crafting grew. While ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« or ³§Äå°ù²ÔÄå³Ù³ó were the major consumer centres the stone quarrying and carving settlements were all located close to them and employed a lot of people in this industry. Stone quarrying, carving, transport were different segments of the lithic industry which was one of the prime industries grown in the ³ÕÄå°ùÄåṇa²õÄ« region. Small objects like balls, pestles, bowls, sharpener, disc, point and lid made of sandstone, soapstone, opal and shale found at Rajghat suggest presence of a professional class which was described in the Babbu ´³Äå³Ù²¹°ì²¹ also.[2]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Dr. Shitala Prasad Singh-Neolithic–Chalcolithic Potteries in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, American International Journal of Research and Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences,4 (2) September-November 2013, USA, pp.148-52.