Chalcolithic Sites in India

Bangarh

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• Location
  • Situated in South Dinajpur district, West Bengal.
  • First site in North Bengal with evidence of Chalcolithic period.
• Chronology and Cultural Significance
  • Associated with Chalcolithic habitation and craft activity.
  • Marks the early metal-using phase in the region.
• Key Archaeological Findings
  • Hearth with charcoal traces — indicating domestic or industrial activity.
  • Artefacts include:
    • Copper bowl, copper rod
    • Black-and-Red Ware (BRW) dish
    • Broken antimony rod
    • Numerous pottery sherds
• Interpretation
  • The presence of metal tools, hearth, and pottery suggests that Bangarh was a manufacturing centre during the Chalcolithic phase.

Mahisdal

• In Kopai valley, West Bengal.
• Period- 1619-1415 BCE.
• House floors rammed with terracotta nodules, lots of microliths and bone tools, beads of steatite
  and semi precious stone, terracotta bangles and phallus ,one copper celt found.
• Pottery– BRW was main form.

Pandu Rajar Dhibi

• In Burdman district of West Bengal.
• Situated on the banks of the Damodar River.
• Neolithic and Chalcolithic site.
• First chalcolithic culture discovered in the West Bengal.
• It reveals microliths, ground stone tools, bone tools, and pottery.
• In Chalcolithic Period, there were a few copper artefacts, beads of semi-precious stones, terracotta figurines, iron spearheads and points, slag, and oven.
• Iron artefacts found at chalcolithic levels.
• The pottery included mainly BRW.
  • Black-and-red ware, plain red ware, and cord-impressed ware.
• Bones of domesticated cattle, buffalo, goat, and deer.
• Economy:
  • Practiced mixed agriculture: rice, barley, legumes.
  • Animal husbandry was also significant.
  • Reflects an adaptable agro-pastoral economy in the alluvial valley.
• Burials and Settlement Features:
  • Pit burials with grave goods like copper ornaments and pottery.
  • Evidence of mud-walled houses and storage pits, indicating a settled village life.

Senuar/Senuwar(Neolithic and Chalcoiithic both)

• Rohtas, Bihar, on banks of Kudra river.
• Wattle and daub houses.
• Pottery – red ware, burnished red ware and burnished grey ware mostly wheel made.
• Stone tool along with microliths and some bone tools found.
• Beads of semi- precious stones discovered.
• Domesticated animals– cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, cat, dog, pig, wild animals- nilgai, antelope, chital.
• Crop- Twice a year, rice, barley, dwarf wheat, millet, lentil.
• Shell food consumed as suggested by large remains of molluscs and shells.

Navdatoli

• In west Nimar district, MP, on banks of Narmada river.
• Chalcolithic and Late Harappan Site.
• Navdatoli is the largest settlement of Malwa culture.
• Habitation:
  • Circular or rectangular shape.
  • Circular wattle-and-daub houses, post holes
  • Floors plastered with lime.
  • Ancient village inhabited through four stages.
• Chulhas and storage jars found in houses.
• Pottery:
  • BRW, grey ware with painted
• People sustained on both plant and animal food.
• Domesticated cattle, goat, sheep,pig, consumed as meat.
• Crop remains– rice, wheat, barley, black gram, lentil, ber and amla.
• Ritual – A sacrificial pit found, terracotta female figurine and bull associated with fertility ritual.
• A painted human figure is interpreted as proto-Shiva.
• A huge storage jar with figure of shrine in between the female figure, lizard.

Kayatha

• In Ujjain district, MP, on the banks of river Chotti Kali Sindh.
• Located on the Malwa plateau, near the Chambal River (tributary of Yamuna).
• Five fold cultural sequence identified starting with Kayatha culture followed by Ahar culture and then Malwa culture.
• Chalcolithic and late Harappan site.
• Houses:
  • Rectangular / circular huts made of mud and reed with mud-plastered floors.
• Bones of domesticated cattle and horses found.
• Practiced agriculture with crops like barley, wheat, and lentils.
  • Indicates a semi-sedentary agrarian lifestyle.
• Artefacts:
  • Microliths made of locally available chalcedony.
  • Copper axes, chisel, copper bangles etc.
  • Ornaments made of agate, steatite and carnelian beads.
  • Axes came from Ganeshwar.
• Pottery – brown slipped and well baked Kayatha ware mostly painted in violet or deep red.
  • Well-burnished red and buff ware, decorated with geometric designs.

Eran

• In Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh.
• Gupta inscriptions:
  • Epigraphic inscription of Samudra Gupta which mentions that a part of western Mawa was annexed by Chandra Gupta.
  • Inscription at Eran dated 510 AD gives the first concrete evidence of Sati.
• Vishnu shrines of Gupta period found (famous varah temple).
• Early phase: Malwa culture, Later: BRW and iron.
• Mud fortification wall and a moat found.

Ahar (Ahar / Banas culture)

• On the banks of Ahar River of southeastern Rajasthan.
• Chalcolithic and Late Harappan site.
• Pottery:
  • BRW with linear and dotted designs.
  • Shapes:- bowls, bowls-on-stands, vases.
• Mainly copper tools like choppers, axes, knives, chisels etc. found.
• Habitation:
  • People lived in single, double and multi-roomed rectangular and circular houses.
  • Houses made of stones, mud bricks, the walls being plastered with mud.
  • Each house had kitchen, storage bin, stone saddle querns.
• Subsistence pattern:
  • Cultivation- wheat and,millets, rice, lentil etc.
  • animal husbandry and hunting
• Trade links with the Harappans.

Balathal

• Very near to Ahar,Udaipur district, Rajasthan.
• Contemporary with Early Harappan phase and early Ganeshwar culture.
• Initially, wattle and daub houses, but later larger rectangular houses made of mud bricks and stone.
• Two potter’s kiln were found.
• Pottery includes thin red ware, tar ware, black 8s red ware, buff colored pots.
• Mainly copper tools like choppers, knives, etc.
• Also some bone tools, along with beads of semiprecious stones and terracotta figurines of bull found.
• Crops- wheat, barley, black and green gram, pea, linseed.
• Cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, were domesticated animals.
• Evidence of leprosy found by DNA testing of skeletons.

Gilund

• In Rajsamand district, Rajasthan.
• Chalcolithic and late Harappan site.
• Largest site of Ahar-Banas complex.
• Houses of mud bricks and burnt bricks with storage pits.
• Artefacts- Microliths, fragments of copper, beads of semi- precious stone.
• Terracotta figurines of animals including humped bull with long horns.

Gungeria

• Balaghat district, M.P
• A copper hoard site where 424 copper objects found in a single hoard.

Ganeshwar & Jodhpura

• In the Baleshwar Valley, Sikar district, Rajasthan.
• Located close to the Khetri copper belt.
• Jodhpura: PGW and Chalcolithic.
• Cultural Identity:
  • Represents the Ganeshwar–Jodhpura Chalcolithic culture.
  • Considered a Pre-Harappan Chalcolithic site.
• Three cultural phases:
  • Period I:
    • Hunting-gathering
    • microliths
  • Period II:
    • Beginning of metallurgy (copper).
    • Circular huts
    • Microliths
    • animal bones.
  • Period III:
    • Many copper objects found:- evidence of copper working centre.
    • Lesser number of microliths and animal bones.
• Pottery:
  • Handmade, Wheel-made, red in colour, with incised designs.
  • Shapes: dish-on-stand.
  • Pottery types include:
    • Ochre-Coloured Ware (OCW)
    • Red ware (plain, hand-made).
  • No elaborate painted pottery, differentiating it from cultures like Malwa or Jorwe.
• Metallurgy and Tools:
  • One of the earliest copper-producing centres in India.
  • Over 1000 copper objects found, including:
    • Arrowheads, fish hooks, spearheads, chisels, and bangles.
  • Indicates specialized metallurgy, possibly supplying tools to Harappan settlements.
• On the basis of Harappan pottery and double spiral pins, contact between Ganeshwar and Harappan culture is postulated.

Atranjikhera

• Etah district, U.P.
• Is an Eastern Zone OCP culture site and also black and red ware site.
• Wattle and daub houses.
• Artefacts-Sandstone and quartzite pieces probably fragments of querns and pestles. Terracotta pieces,
  worn out brick-bats.
• OCP pottery of ochre coloured, dull red of both fine and coarse fabric. Pottery bearing incised design
  and painting in black over a fine slipped base.
• Crops– Rice, barley, gram, khesari, suggesting people grew two crops a year.

Lalqila

• Bulandshahr district, U.P.
• An Eastern Zone Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) site, one of the largest settlements among OCP culture.
• Rectangular and circular huts with postholes found.
• Fire pits with charred bones, rich animal and plant remains, terracotta figurines like two unique female
  figurines.
• Five copper objects – two pendants, one bead, an arrowhead and broken celt.
• Pottery included a vase painted with a seminaturalistic humped bull with long, curve bones.
• Crops were wheat, barley and rice-two crops a year.

Koldihwa

• In Allahabad district, UP.
• From the Neolithic, Chalcolithic to the iron age.
• Remains of rice and impression of rice husk embedded in pieces of burnt clay found.
• Other discoveries included stone blades, polished stone celts, microliths, querns and mullers (for grinding) and
• Bone tools also found.
• Pottery:
  • Hand made,
  • cord marked pottery,
  • BRW.
• Chalcolithic period:
  • Pottery:
    • Introduction of wheel-made pottery,
    • BRW.
• Mud floors with burnt clay and post holes, remnants of wattle-and-daub houses.
• The tool kit includes copper, bone and stone tools.
• Microlithic tools used.
• Copper beads and bone tools.
• Beads of semi-precious stones, ring stones and terracotta found.

Saipai

• Etawah district, U.P.
• Eastern Zone, OCP Culture site.
• Sandstone pounders, querns and pestles found.
• Bones of domesticated cattle (Bos indicus ) found.
• A hooked spearhead and harpoon made of copper found which shows its Chalcolithic nature.
• Note-In Eastern zone, OCP sites pottery is marked by absence of basin with beaded rim, the dish- on stand and flask.

Chirand

• In Saran district of Bihar.
• Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Iron Age settlements.
• Neolithic period was earlier than 2500 B.C.
• Practiced agriculture with evidence of wheat, rice, mung, masur, peas found.
• The agricultural tools were made of stone and bone.
• Bone tools are special feature
• They practised hunting also.
• Bones of domesticated and wild animals are found.
  • People lived in wattle and daub huts, circular in plan.
• Microliths are also found.
• Pottery:
  • Hand-made, ‘red ware’ and BRW.
  • Post firing painting on pottery.
• Chalcolithic culture: 1600 BCE
  • BRW pottery found.
  • Two phases:
    • The first phase is without iron.
    • Second has iron without NBPW.
• Later period shows the emergence of the N.B.P.W. culture.

Narhan

• In Gorakhpur district (UP), on northern bank of Sarayu river.
• Habitation:
  • Wattle-and-daub houses with post-holes and hearths.
• Pottery:
  • white painted black and red ware.
• Artefacts:
  • Bone points;
  • pottery discs;
  • beads of glass, agate, and terracotta,
  • bone and terracotta dice;
  • glass bangles;
  • terracotta female figurines; animal figurines
  • polished stone axe.
• Copper objects included a ring and fishhook made of low tin bronze. This shows people knew alloying, annealing and casting.
• Agriculture:
  • Rice, wheat, pea, gram, khesari, oilseeds, jackfruit, sal, teak, tulsi, mango, bamboo.
• Animal remains – humped cattle, sheep, goat, antelope, horse and fish.
• A fishhook made of iron with string of ramie fiber (a water resistant fiber) found.

Imlidih

• On the banks of Kuwana river, Gorakhpur, U.P.
• Two fold Cultural sequence, pre- Nahan culture and Nahan Culture is Chalcolithic dating 1300 B.C. – 800 B.C.
• Settlement-Two successive mud floors with several post- holes and oven.
• Pottery– White painted black and red ware (BRW).
• Copper object, included a ring and fishhook made of low tin bronze. This shows people knew alloying,
  annealing and casting.
• Crop remains – Wheat, barley, rice , green gram, chickpea and Kesari, mustard oilseeds found (Two crops/year). This show agriculture was main occupation.
• Animal remains – humped cattle, sheep, goat, antelope, horse and fish.

Pandu Rajar Dhibi

• In Burdman district of West Bengal.
• Neolithic and Chalcolithic site.
• First chalcolithic culture discovered in the West Bengal.
• It reveals microliths, ground stone tools, bone tools, and pottery.
• In Chalcolithic Period, there were a few copper artefacts, beads of semi-precious stones, terracotta figurines, iron spearheads and points, slag, and oven.
• Iron artefacts found at chalcolithic levels.
• The pottery included mainly BRW.
• Bones of domesticated cattle, buffalo, goat, and deer.

Golbai Sasan

• On left bank of river Mandakani in Puri district, Odisha.
• Neolithic and Chalcolithic site.
• Neolithic period:
  • Post-holes found.
  • Red and grey handmade pottery with cord impressions.
  • Bone tools found including weapons and ornaments.
• Chalcolithic period:
  • Circular huts with hearths and post holes.
  • Both handmade and wheel-made pottery was found, including BRW.
  • Copper artefacts and bone artefacts (including weapons and ornaments) found.
• Agriculture: rice, moong and kulthi.
• Animal Bones of cattle, goat, deer, and elephant.
• The polished stone tools included axes, adzes, and shouldered celts.
• A human figurine found.

Brahmagiri

• In Chitradurg district, Karnataka.
• Neolithic-Chalolithic and Megalithic site.
• Wattle-and daub huts with post holes.
• Polished stone tools,
• Microlithic blades, and
• Handmade grey pottery.
• Copper–bronze objects in later period.
• Burials:
  • Extended burials of adults
  • urn burials of children.
• Megalithic monuments have been found.
• Agriculture and domestication of animal.
• Draft animal used.
• Ashokan edicts denotes the southernmost extent of the Mauryan Empire.

Hallur

• In Haveri district, Karnataka.
• Neolithic-chalcolithic and Megalithic site
• Earliest use of iron in South India at Piklihal and Hallur.
• Tools:
  • Polished tools
  • Microlith blades.
  • Ornaments made of carnelian, ceramic and gold found.
  • Chalcolithic blade tools
  • copper axes
  • fish hooks
  • Transition to the Iron Age period is marked by megaliths and iron implements.
• Ash-mounds
• Double urn burial
• Agriculture – millet and horsegram, Green Gram
• Pottery:
  • Early phase: Handmade and grey ware.
  • Later phase: wheel made, BRW
• Herding – Cattle, Sheep, Goat.
• Animal bones of cattle, sheep, goat and horse were found.
• Habitation:
  • Circular floors made of stone chips and river sand.
  • Wattle and doab huts, post hole,
  • One house with circular fireplace and ash and charcoal.

Sanganakallu

• In Bellary district, Karnataka.
• Neolithic–Chalcolithic site.
• Pottery:
  • Earlier neolithic phase- a-ceramic, handmade and no copper;
  • Later phase: copper tools and wheel made pottery.
  • BRW, grey, brown wares and black pottery.
• In both phases:
  • Polished stone tools, celts, blades
  • microliths
  • bone points,
  • chisels,
  • copper and bronze artefacts.
• Terracotta figurines– bulls and birds.
• Bones of cattle, sheep, goat, and dog were identified.
• Habitation:
  • Round wattle-and daub huts.

Maski

• In Raichur district, Karnataka.
• Neolithic-Chalcolithic and Megalithic cultures.
• Minor Rock Edict of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka found.
  • First edict of Emperor Ashoka that contained the name Ashoka.
• Artefacts:
  • Polished stone tools, microlithic blades, and copper rod.
  • Beads of carnelian, agate, chalcedony, shell, coral, glass, and paste.
• Pottery:
  • Red ware
  • BRW
  • Incised designs on some pottery.
• Animal bones found.
• Rock paintings found.
• Subsistence base:
  • agriculture,
  • animal domestication,
  • hunting.

Piklihal

• In Raichur district, Karnataka.
• Neolithic-chalcolithic site.
• Earliest use of iron in South India at Piklihal and Hallur.
• Habitation:
  • Circular huts,
  • wattle and- daub huts,
• Tools:
  • neolithic tools,
  • microlithic blades.
• Pottery:
  • Handmade, wheel made,
  • grey wares, black, red wares, BRW
  • some pottery with paintings.
• Terracotta figurines of humans, animals, and birds were discovered.
• Bones of domesticated cattle, goat, and sheep found.
• Beads:
  • Carnelian and shell beads.
  • Fine disc beads obtained from the Harappans.
• Rock painting also found.

Inamgaon

• In Pune district, Maharashtra.
• Post-Harappan Chalcolithic site.
• Multiple cultural phases:- Jorwe culture and Malwa Culture found.
• Habitation:
  • Early chalcolithic:
    • Mud and circular houses.
    • Storage pits.
    • Biggest houses with five room was of the ruling chief.
    • Granary.
  • Later Chalcolithic:
    • Fortified wall around the settled area.
• Pottery:
  • Red with black designs.
• Artefacts:
  • Stone tools for cutting plants, meat etc.
  • Few coppers tools and ornaments found.
    • Ornaments:– beads, bangles, and anklets. Later gold also.
    • Tools and weapons such as drills, fish hooks and arrowheads.
  • Beads of terracotta, semi-precious stones ivory, sea shells.
  • Terracotta figurines:- toys, bull, female goddess etc.
• Trade with other parts of the country.
• Agriculture:
  • Wheat, barley, lentils, peas, gram and beans.
• Bones of wild and domesticates.

Jorwe

• Location and Chronology
  • Located in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra.
  • Type site of Jorwe Culture, dated c. 1400–700 BCE.
• Cultural Identity
  • Represents the final phase of Chalcolithic culture in the Deccan.
  • Spread across Maharashtra and northern Karnataka.
• Material Culture
  • Distinctive reddish pottery with black geometric patterns.
  • Other finds include:
    • Copper tools, stone blades, terracotta figurines, beads, and spindle whorls (indicating textile production).
• Agriculture and Economy
  • Agro-pastoral economy: cultivation of millets, barley, wheat, lentils.
  • Crop rotation.
  • Evidence of animal husbandry.
  • Use of lime-plastered grain storage pits, showing planned food management and surplus production.
• Burials and Settlement
  • Urn burials and pit burials with grave goods.
  • Houses were rectangular, made of wattle-and-daub.
  • Settlements had a nucleated pattern, reflecting rural community organization.

Daimabad

• In Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra on the banks of river Pravara.
• Southernmost Harappan site.
• Chalcolithic and Late Harappan phase found.
• Multiple periods:
  • Period I:- Savalda culture
  • Period II: Late Harappan culture
  • Period III:- Daimabad Culture
  • Period IV: Malwa culture
  • Period V: Jorwe culture
• Late Harappan:
  • Pottery:
    • Fine red ware with linear and geometric designs in black.
  • Seals with Harappan writing and inscribed potsherds.
  • Tools:
    • Microlithic blades,
    • stone and terracotta beads,
    • shell bangles,
    • gold beads,
    • terracotta measuring scale.
  • Copper smelted locally.
  • Agriculture: Millets, gram, and moong, horse gram.
• Daimabad culture:
  • Pottery: Black-on-buff/cream ware.
  • Copper-smelting furnace found.
  • Three different types of burials—
    • a pit burial,
    • urn burial, and
    • symbolic burial.
  • Agriculture: Millets, gram, and moong, horse gram, Hyacinth.
• Except one burial belonging to the late Harappan phase, all of them were of infants and young people.

Nevasa

• In Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra.
• A paleolithic and chalcolithic site.
• There is evidence of factory site
  • The middle palaeolithic industry of central and peninsular India is sometimes referred as the Nevasan industry after the site of Nevasa.
• The tools include a wide variety of scrapers such as agate, jasper, and chalcedony.
• Chalcolithic phase:
  • Painted black and red pottery
  • Copper tools
  • Houses:
    • walls of bamboo and mud, rammed floor, thatched roof, post holes
    • Semi nomadic life style.

Rangpur

• In Surendranagar district of Saurashtra in Gujarat.
• Chalcolihthic and Harappan phase.’
• Mature, late and post Harappan phase found.
• Well built houses of mud bricks, lime used as bindingmedium.
• Pottery:
  • Lustrous red ware with glossy surface.
• Artefacts:
  • Dishes with beaded rim,
  • painted black and redware and high-necked jars.
  • Evidence of shell working.
• Agriculture:– Bajra, rice and Millet were found.
• Trade from western world.

Prabhas Patan

• In Junagadh district, Gujarat.
• Chalcolithic and Late Harappan.
• Pottery:
  • Lustrous red ware with glossy surface.
• Rectangular houses built on soft stone.
• Warehouse:
  • Made of stone blocks using mud mortar.
  • Divided into smaller compartments.
• Artefacts:
  • Steatite seal amulet and chert blades.
  • Copper objects
  • Beads of chalcedony, carnelian, and agate,
  • a gold ear ornament.
• NBPW:- beginning of the early historical phase in Gujarat.
• Mediterranean amphorae and terra sigillata found:- trade with western world.

Mehrgarh

• In Baluchistan, Pakistan.
• A Neolithic and Calcolithic site.
• Neolithic:
  • Small farming and pastoralist village:
  • Planned ancient farm villages.
  • mud brick house (later sun-dried brick)
  • bone tools,
  • a-ceramic.
• Precursor of IVC.
• It was later abandoned with Harappan urbanisation.
• One of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley), herding and metallurgy.
• One of the earliest cultivation of cotton.
• Evidence of fishing.
• Unique discovery:- Dental surgery and related medicinal activities.
• Figurines of terracotta found.