NEW DELHI: Tip-offs from ‘envious’ villagers of Ganeshpur of Mainpuri district in Uttar Pradesh have led to recovery of hoards of copper antiquities, including weapons like harpoons and anthropomorphic figurines, suspected to be dating around 1,800-2,000 BCE. These cultural objects, lying buried under a mound for thousands of years, were found during levelling of farmland by the owner and are now in safe custody of the Archaeological Survey of India.
Elated with the discovery, the owner and others had taken them home and stashed away thinking that the articles would fetch good fortune. However this happiness was short-lived. Some secretly informed the police and district administration after which the ASI was roped in. The area was sealed and appeals were made to the villagers to return the articles to the authorities or be ready to face consequences. And the warning worked. So far, the ASI has received over 77 archaeological objects, including 16 anthropomorphic figurines.
The ASI is now preparing to launch excavations in nearby areas for further study. Superintending Archaeologist (Agra) RK Patel said that soon excavation would be carried out in a 10-km radius. “Investigation at the site has already been completed. Trenches were made to understand the cultural strata. Majority of the recovered items are of 4-5 varieties such antennae swords, harpoons and anthropomorphic figurines. Their typological study is to be done after which an accurate time period will be ascertained. This is a single cultural strata site, which means in the last about 4,000 years people of similar culture had lived there. They were using similar utensils and weapons,” said Patel.
Sanjay Manjul, joint director general (ASI), who led the excavation at Harappan sites in Rakhigarhi (Haryana) and Sinauli in Western UP also inspected Mainpuri excavation. The ASI team has also found a potter’s kiln and Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP), which is also a significant find. “Until now, copper hoards and OCP have not been found at one place. They used to be spotted separately or in the vicinity of each other. But here, both things have been found at the same place. Hence we can say that copper hoards are related to the same culture. Nearest similar site is Atranjikhera in Etah,” said Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, director (archeology).