5300-year-old Harappan remains found in Lakhapar, Kutch, success during Kerala University excavations Gujarat Lakhapar Harrapan Remains: Archaeologists from Kerala University have discovered a 5,300-year-old settlement near Lakhapar village in western Kutch, Gujarat. An ancient Harappan settlement has come to light during the excavations. The site was first identified in 2022 by a team led by Abhyayan GS and Rajesh SV of the Department of Archaeology, Kerala University. This excavation has brought to light new information about the spread and lifestyle of the Harappan civilization. The remains of an ancient village were found from a field near the Lakhapar-Ghaduli village road. In which 197 burials have been found from the cemetery area. Currently, a farm is located at this site. These archaeological remains are spread over an area of about 3 hectares. Excavations conducted at Juna Khatia village in 2019-20 and 2022 uncovered 197 burials. Keeping this in mind, an archaeological survey was conducted in the surrounding areas. In which these remains have been found. Important context The discovery at Lakhapar now provides an important residential context for burial mounds, indicating a dynamic, interconnected cultural landscape in the arid Rann of Kutch. The excavations have revealed structural remains, walls made of local sandstone and shell, indicating well-planned construction activities. Notably, the presence of pottery in both the Early and Classic Harappan phases, which dates back to about 3300 BCE. These finds include extremely rare vessels, which were previously found only from three sites in Gujarat. The presence of this particular ceramic tradition at Lakhapar points to a culturally unique group within the larger Harappan civilization. Skeleton found Interestingly, a human burial has also been found near the settlement. The skeleton is in a very poor state of preservation, but it was buried directly in a pit, in which no architectural or symbolic elements are visible. Also read: BIG NEWS: Insurance claim for plane crash in Ahmedabad likely to reach Rs 1500 crore The researchers said, ‘Apart from architectural and pottery, a rich array of artefacts have been unearthed during the excavations. Stones made of carnelian, agate, amazonite and steatite, pearls, rock ornaments, copper and terracotta objects have been found. All these items indicate links with Sindh.’ The remains of cow, goat, fish bones and edible shells found during the excavations indicate that the people here were dependent on animal husbandry and water resources. Samples have been taken for archaeobotanical analysis to understand plant use and ancient diet. According to the researcher, what makes Lakhapar unique is that no early Harappan burial sites like Dhaneti have been found in Gujarat. However, evidence of settlements associated with them has not yet been found. Lakhapar fills an important gap, providing a rare glimpse of both the living and the dead of a single cultural group.
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