Nindowari
نندارہ | |
 Rhyton(drinking vessel),zebushaped. Paintedterracotta.Pakistan, Nindowari site, 2300-2000 BCE,Kulli culture, the time of theIndus civilization.Guimet Museum,Paris. | |
   | |
| Location | Ornach Valley, Tehsil Wadh,Kalat District,Balochistan,Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Region | Indus Valley Civilization |
| Coordinates | 27°13′16″N66°47′35″E/ 27.221°N 66.793°E |
| Type | Archaeological site |
| Area | 124 acres |
| Height | 75 feet (23 m) |
| History | |
| Founded | Chalcolithicperiod |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1962–1965 |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Ownership | FederalGovernment of Pakistan |
Nindowari(Urdu:نندارہ), also known asNindo Damb,is aKulliarchaeological site, dating back tochalcolithicperiod, inKalat DistrictofBalochistan, Pakistan.Archaeological investigation of the site suggests that the Nindowari complex was occupied by the Harappans before the Kulli civilization arrived and that the Kulli culture was related to or possibly derived from the Harappan culture.[1][2]
Location
[edit]Nindowari is located some 240 kilometres (150 mi) northwest ofKarachi,in Ornach Valley in Tehsil Wadh of the Kalat District. It is located on the right bank of the Kud River, a tributary of the Porali River.[3]
History
[edit]
Nindowari is a site of the prehistoricKulli cultureof Balochistan with links to theHarappan Civilization.[3] The site, spread over an area of 124 acres and 75 feet (23 m) high, is the largest Kulli complex site discovered so far.[1]The settlement was built on a flat schist bed with a central quadrangular platform which was surrounded by buildings on one side. Mounds of various heights were located in the area. The central mound near the platform rose to a height of 82 feet (25 m) and consisted of large stones and boulders. The summit of the mound was accessed via a staircase from the platform showing this mound was considered a monument. Another mound, called Kulliki-an Damb (Mound of Potteries), was located 590 feet (180 m) south of the main mound.[1]The site offers evidence that Kulli culture might be strongly associated with the Harappan Civilization if not directly derived from it. Artifacts excavated from the site show that the two cultures had close interaction.[2]
The site was probably abandoned due to a majorupliftwhich resulted in cutting off of the water source from the Kud River.[3]
Excavations
[edit]The site was discovered byBeatrice De Cardiin 1957.[1]French Archaeological Mission, led by Jean-Marie Casal, andDepartment of Archaeology, Pakistanlater carried out the Nindowari excavations from 1962 till 1965, uncovering traces of a Kulli settlement dating back to the third millennium BC.[1]These excavations unearthed Kulli-Harappan pottery and vases with animal figures, mostly bulls and birds. Terracotta figurines of women adorned with jewelry with elaborate details were also discovered.Nal ware(old pottery from Indus Civilization) excavated from the site suggested a pre-Kulli occupation and that the Harrapans were settled in the area in early periods (3200 - 2500 BC).[1]
Status
[edit]Nindo Dam is one of the 27 notifiedArchaeological Sites and Monuments in Balochistanand protected by the Federal Government under the Federal Antiquities Act.[4]
References
[edit]- ^abcdefNeil Asher Silberman, ed. (2012).The Oxford Companion To Archaeology(2 ed.). Oxford University Press.ISBN9780199739219.
- ^abMcIntosh, Jane R. (2008).The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives.Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 87.ISBN978-1576079072.
- ^abcPruthi, R.K. (2004).Indus Civilization.Discovery Publishing House. p. 21.ISBN8171418651.
- ^"List Of Notified Protected Archaeological Sites And Monuments In Pakistan"(PDF).Government of Pakistan. p. 47. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 14 October 2013.Retrieved12 October2013.