Soon, Harappan sites will be just a click away

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 25

Soon, details of over 1,200 Harappan Civilisation sites in Haryana will be just a click away. Researchers and others interested in archaeology will be able to access this information in digital form.

The government has already started Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping of the Harappan sites and soon, details of various sites would be available in digital form and also be uploaded on the official website of the Archaeology and Museum Department.

“Our department has hired the services of scientists of the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC) for the purpose of digitisation and they have already begun the work,” said Banani Bhattacharyya, Deputy Director in the Archaeology and Museum Department.

The state has some 1,200 to 1,300 Harappan Civilisation sites. Of these, some are pre to late Harappan, some pre to early Harappan and some others are pre to mature Harappan sites.

At several sites like Rakhigarhi, Bhirdana, Kunal, Banwali etc excavations have been done to establish the existence of these civilisations and archaeologists already have enough artefacts found from there.

Archaeological excavations at a pre-Harappan site almost 6,000 years old, Bhirdana and Kunal (Fatehabad), were started in 1986 and are still continuing.

“Some more will come to light with the GIS mapping by the scientists and soon we will be able to provide all details to people in the digital form,” Bhattacharyya said.

She said that digitisation of Harappan sites would not only prove helpful for researchers and archaeologists, but this would also help the state to be promoted as a tourist destination.

RS Hooda, Chief Scientist, HASAC, said, “We have started GIS mapping to find out the possible existence of Harappan Civilisation sites by identifying confluence of paleochannels. Since, all civilisations existed at water channels; the confluence of paleochannels will help the archaeologists locate more such sites. Besides, we will also digitise whatever details the department already has about the Harappan sites.” The entire exercise could take 5 to 6 months, said Hooda.

Historians’ joy

• The state has some 1,200 to 1,300 Harappan Civilisation sites. Of these, some are pre-to-late Harappan.
• At several sites like Rakhigarhi, Bhirdana, Kunal, Banwali etc excavations have been done to establish the existence of these civilisations and archaeologists already have enough artefacts found from there.