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Shamalaji:
From all the available evidence it seems that Shamlaji was occupied in the iron using and smelting stage around the beginning of the Christian era.
The river Mehavo helped the traditional traders who moved along the banks and reached the interior from the ports of Arabian Sea.
This habitation was fortified in the first cent.A.D. Kshatrap ruler Bhumak or Nahapan might have been responsible in getting this fort constructed.
Here too, many objects were recovered akin to those found at Nani Rayan.
The most striking is the similarity of designs on the embossed finger tipped and red ware at Shamalaji and the molded stamped ware found at Nani Rayan. The figures of elephant, swans, deer, flowers and dots closely resemble their counterparts. Incense burner, spouts bowls and other verities of red ware, too have been found from both this sites.
Similarly the terracotta beads, human and animal figures circular disc, sand stone objects like pastel stone with round section, a sand stone ball shell bangles found at both this sites are identical.113 Nagara:
The excavation at Nagara, reveal the earliest habitation by iron using people between 5th and 6th Cent. B.C. During the early centuries of the Christian era, this village began to expand due to growing commercial interest. This is evident by the find of objects from the Roman world as well as from central Asia. The find of numerous shell and ivory objects of excellent quality add to this thinking. 114
Ofa large variety of pottery found at Nagara the Plain Red Ware, Red Polished Ware, Amphorae and decorated ware have commonness with the similar pottery found at Nani Rayan. The same goes true with the other objects such as beads. Wheels, animal and human figurines, the lower part of a broken statue showing the legs of a deity, shell bangles, stone objects like mullers, marbles and pastel stones. The Seals with Brhami inscription have been found from both the sites. Siot:
This site has been discussed in detail in Chapter three “A Birds Eye View of Different Sites in Kutch. Sites in Maharashtra:
Aside from amphora fragments, the major evidence for determining the chronology and nature of the earliest phase of trade contact is certain Indian ceramic types: specifically, the Mold made ware found in the interior of the upper western, or Gujarat Maharashtra coast.115
113 114 115
excavation at Shamalaji by Dr. R.N.Mehta and Shri A.J.Patel published by M.S.University Vadodara. Excavation report at Nagara Dr R.N.Mehta Vimla Begley, Ceramic Evidences of pre-periplus trade on Indian coast.
Comparative study of the other sites
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