02-09-2008, 02:05 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Orissa dig reveals 2,500-yr-old city
PTI | Bhubaneswar
Remains of an ancient city, believed to be around 2,500 years old, have been unearthed by archaeologists at Sishupalgarh near here.
The remnants at the historical site including 18 pillars came to light during a fresh research work undertaken by a team of archaeologists including Monica L Smith of University of California and RK Mohanty of Deccan College, Pune.
"<b>A huge city existed at the site around 2,500 years ago. The latest findings at the site comprise the most visible standing architectural structures discovered in India so far," </b>Smith said while explaining various aspects of the findings.
The remnants suggest that the city, with four gateways, had 20,000 to 25,000 settlers, while classical Athens housed about 10,000 people, Mohanty said, adding all these showed the significance of the ancient city.
The archaeologists came out with new features on the urban life of the people of the ancient period in course of a surface excavation at the fortified site, which was first discovered in 1948 by a team of 12 experts.
<b>The pillars discovered during their research and excavation work were a part of a gigantic structure, Mohanty said. The huge structures were probably used for public gatherings or special functions.</b>
Referring to the walls excavated at the site, he said this were quite well-built with a big expanse, amply showing the importance of the ancient site as a city. A large number of household articles, pottery, terracotta ornaments and other items were also found at the site, Mohanty said.
<b>Observing that the lifestyle of the people in the ancient city was "most advanced", he said the potteries were not only well polished but had ownership markings on them.</b>
<b>An unusually large number of cups and bowls found from the site suggested that the settlers were perhaps familiar with the practice of use-and-throw, said the team members.</b>
<b>There were also indications about existence of large-scale patterns of surface architecture like streets linking the gateways and water storage facilities, they said adding pictures taken through geo-physical research methods suggested a big urban set up spread over an area larger than excavated.</b>
However, it was not clear as to how such a huge and important city was destroyed, Mohanty said expressing the hope that more information about the ancient city would be unearthed with the help of fresh data and findings.
Other archaeologists as also historians hoped that comprehensive excavation of the site at Sishupalgarh, one of the earliest historical cities neglected for long, would throw light on other aspects like trade and commerce during that period.
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PTI | Bhubaneswar
Remains of an ancient city, believed to be around 2,500 years old, have been unearthed by archaeologists at Sishupalgarh near here.
The remnants at the historical site including 18 pillars came to light during a fresh research work undertaken by a team of archaeologists including Monica L Smith of University of California and RK Mohanty of Deccan College, Pune.
"<b>A huge city existed at the site around 2,500 years ago. The latest findings at the site comprise the most visible standing architectural structures discovered in India so far," </b>Smith said while explaining various aspects of the findings.
The remnants suggest that the city, with four gateways, had 20,000 to 25,000 settlers, while classical Athens housed about 10,000 people, Mohanty said, adding all these showed the significance of the ancient city.
The archaeologists came out with new features on the urban life of the people of the ancient period in course of a surface excavation at the fortified site, which was first discovered in 1948 by a team of 12 experts.
<b>The pillars discovered during their research and excavation work were a part of a gigantic structure, Mohanty said. The huge structures were probably used for public gatherings or special functions.</b>
Referring to the walls excavated at the site, he said this were quite well-built with a big expanse, amply showing the importance of the ancient site as a city. A large number of household articles, pottery, terracotta ornaments and other items were also found at the site, Mohanty said.
<b>Observing that the lifestyle of the people in the ancient city was "most advanced", he said the potteries were not only well polished but had ownership markings on them.</b>
<b>An unusually large number of cups and bowls found from the site suggested that the settlers were perhaps familiar with the practice of use-and-throw, said the team members.</b>
<b>There were also indications about existence of large-scale patterns of surface architecture like streets linking the gateways and water storage facilities, they said adding pictures taken through geo-physical research methods suggested a big urban set up spread over an area larger than excavated.</b>
However, it was not clear as to how such a huge and important city was destroyed, Mohanty said expressing the hope that more information about the ancient city would be unearthed with the help of fresh data and findings.
Other archaeologists as also historians hoped that comprehensive excavation of the site at Sishupalgarh, one of the earliest historical cities neglected for long, would throw light on other aspects like trade and commerce during that period.
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