Sambodhi 1998 Vol 22

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 84

Vol XXII, 1998
Rojdi in Gujarat also gives a similar time spread, though a couple of radiocarbon dates go back to c 2500 B C At Surkotda most of the dates fall around 2000 B C
PHYSICAL DATING AND
73
Chalcolithic cultures.
The "e dates for Chalcolithic sites in Pakistan, mainly from Pirak range from 1500 to 800 B C Jodhpura is associated with a typical copper artifact assemblage in Rajasthan It is dated to about 3000 B C The Lustrous Red Ware (LRW) dates from Onyo-tumbo tend to go even beyond 3000 B C (PRL1425, 1426) Prabhas Patan had earlier given "e dates going back to c 3000 BC It appears that in Gujarat one is dealing with an indigenous culture which is pre-Harappan "e dates now suggest that in the north-west Indo-Pak sub-continent there is a neolithic beginning of local cultures which in some areas developed into the Urban Harappa culture The dates for the Chalcolithic cultures of eastern India range from c 1800-900 B C The Central Indian Chalcolithic sites of Chandoli, Daimabad, Dangwada, Eran, Inamgaon, Kheda, Navdatoli, Nevasa, Sonegaon have also been dated Most of these sites have Jorwe and Malwa culture habitations Though some of the calibrated dates go back to c 3000 B C, the general time spread seems to be confined to 20001500 B C and for Jorwe culture it is 1500-1000 B C There are a few dates for Daimabad culture suggesting a time spread between 1800-1700 B C Megalithic sites
It is interesting to note that the few consistent radiocarbon dates (TF-183, 173, 179) indicate that the beginning of Megalithic culture in the Doab goes back to c. 2000 B C In the south, c. 1000 B C probably marks the transition between Neolithic and megalithic phases
Ancient metal working sites
Some copper, gold, silver, zinc mines from different parts of India have also been radiocarbon dated Radiocarbon dates suggest that the exploitation of Kolar Gold Mine goes back to 600 A. D The earliest copper mine dates are from Rajpura Darba (Rajasthan) giving a date of c 1300 BC The Zawar zinc mines have given some dates which go back c 400 B C As zinc is very volatile it was not smelted in the west till the Roman times When mixed with copper it produced brass The 400 B C dates from Zawar are the earliest recorded radiocarbon dates for zinc smelting in the whole world
Use of copper is indicated in the Harappa culture sites and even some pre