BHUBANESWAR: A team of archaeologists of Utkal University’s Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology department has claimed to have found remains of an early human settlement at Siula village under Pipili block of Puri.
Over 200 pieces of broken pottery including one having carving of three elephants in row besides tortoise shells, have been found from a mound on the premises of Jageswari temple near Gudiapokhari area of the village during excavation on Sunday.
The excavation was done on the mound that stands five metre from the ground level and measures 220 metre in length and 130 metre in width. The site is eight km from Sisupalgarh (Mauryan period), four km from Dhauli (Ashokan period) and 3.5 km from the Suabarei site (Neolithic-Chalcolithic) in Puri.
Assistant Professor of the department Dr Anam Behera said the material evidences found from the spot look like they may be as old as Sisupalgarh. “However, the exact age of settlement can only be ascertained after further examination. Red, gray, gray-black pottery ware have been found with grooved impressions”, he added.
The material evidences were found after digging four ft below a trench on the mound. He further informed that what makes the finding unique is that carving of a row of elephants on pottery is being seen for the first time.