1. Inscriptions
2. Coins
3. Monuments, and
In this article we will learn about Excavation work, Runied cities and other Archaeological artefacts.
In history, exploration and excavation work played curcial role in finding archaeological sources, which helps us to reconstruct history. Exploration is the first task of historians and researchers to explore things relevant for their work. It motivate a historian to start Excavation work, if required. From these two primary tasks we will able to collect various kind of artefacts, inscriptions, coins, monuments or runied cities or sites; where ancients were lived once and using these artefacts. Today, we have a number of methods to explore a site and similarly methods and techniques are available to excavate these sites.
[Read Article on Exploration & Excavation to know more about Methods and techniques; here it is not relevant.]
If we talk about Ruined Cities, these are one of the first findings of exploration, (as exploration work certain us that this site may be habitat of some ancient civilizations). After that, excavation work begin and we see a number of artefacts of particular ancient civilization from that runied site. For example, Excavation works at Harappa (Pakistan), Mohen-jodaro (Pakistan) reveal about Great Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) which exist approximately 5000 years ago in Indian Subcontinent. It is after that discovery of IVC that we begun to talk of a civilization on Indian soil prior to Vedic time.
If we talk about Ruined city of Mohen-jodaro (situated in Larkana district of Sind, Pakistan), most of the information collection by excavation work shows a glorious history of India. We got knowledge of town planning, housing, sealings, metallurgy, casting, trade and commerce, etc. and all this indicates us about an urban society.
The excavation of Ataranjikhera indicate that in Gangetic valley of India, use of Iron begun in 1000B.C.
Apart from ruined cities we collect a number of other archaeological artefacts in the form of pottery, terracotta, wheel, coins, tablets, etc. These artefacts and sources may be founded during exploration work on the surface specially in case of inscriptions, monuments, buildings, paintings etc. Or founded by excavation works like coins, terracotta, seals, pottery, amulets, wheels, food grains, carbon footprints of milk, etc. The earliest dancing girl statue found in IVC is a good example.
Seal representing the mother Goddess as a plant growing from her womb; stone figurine of bearded man, has been found from Mohen-jodaro.
A large numbers of potteries were found at all IVC sites. They were experts in the use of Potter's wheel; their pottery was red and black, incised, polychrome and glazed. These pots were decorated with a variety of pleasing designs, floral and geometric, birds figures, animal figures and human figures. We found very vast number of goblets, drinking cups, stone jars from IVC sites. These artefacts reconstructing a history of well flourished urban society.
Conclusion:
Inscriptions, Coins, Monuments, Ruined Cities and other artefacts founded by exploration and excavation work are archaeological historical sources. From these sources and runied sites, we learn about material culture which was developed in that region in ancient time. They shows the layout of the settlement in which people lived, the types of pottery they used, the form of house in which they dwelt, types of cereals people ate, types of tools and implements used, buiral practices, religious practices, etc. and all of these findings worked as historical sources to reconstruct History of past.
Next Articles:
1. Dating of Archaeological sources
2. Literary sources
3. Foreign Accounts
4. Geographical factors in History
5. Periodization in History
References:
Also see:
1. Rina
3. Varnasrama
4. Vedanta
10. Purusharthas
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