Bone weapons used in 4,000-yr civilisation near Prachi River in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) during excavation in Odisha achieved rare feat after discovering a 4,000-year-old human civilisation near Prachi River bank.

A civilisation was unearthed during the excavation at Bharatihuda near Jallarpur village, just 4 km away from Niali, by excavation wing-4 of the Bhubaneswar circle of ASI, revealing the fact that there was an ancient civilisation near Prachi River bank 4,000 years ago. Agriculture was the chief occupation of the inhabitants in the civilisation. They were using weapons made of animal bones for hunting the fish and birds.

The team of ASI comprising of 10 officials along with 70 locals discovered Barcha (spear) and arrow 10 days after the excavation from the area. This is for the second time the ASI discovered such weapons in Odisha.

Apart from bone weapons, mat-impressed ware, black and red earthen pots, stone axe and products like fish bone, bird bone and turtle bone were discovered from the site.

There was a rural culture in the human civilisation. Agriculture and hunting were chief occupations of people for their livelihoods. The products and items of copper stone age discovered from the site during excavation is expected to unfold new angle of the civilisation built up near Prachi River bank, said Archeologist of ASI and Excavation wing’s chief DB Gadnayak.

We have dug upto one metre deep. Many more items belonging to the ancient civilisation are likely to be discovered afterwards. The excavation will continue till April in the area, he added.

Earlier, the ASI had unearthed spear and arrow made of animal bones during excavation project at Golabai Sasan in 90s. However, nothing was clear about the discovery.

With the bone weapons discovered during the excavation project at Bharatihuda, the fact came to fore that there was a copper-stone age civilisation near Prachi River bank when people were using the weapons made of bones instead of stone.

The researchers described the discovery as ‘rare’ in the eastern India. Earlier, few bone weapons were unearthed at Burzahom in Jammu and Kashmir.