Early Harappan Culture of Kot Diji-Sothi Complex

About the Book About the Author Vinay Kumar (b. 1976), Ph. D. MA (Ancient Indian, History, Culture and Archacology), MA (Archaeology and Heritage Management), Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology from Institute of Archacology, Archaeological Survey of India. Presently he is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ancient Indian, History, Culture and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Prior to this he was working at Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, and Madhya Pradesh in the same capacity. His areas of specialization include Field Archaeology, Art History and Architecture.

Dr. Kumar is the recipient of Gold Medal by former Hon'ble President of India for being University topper. Dr. Kumar has been awarded Junior and Senior Research Fellowship by University Grants Commission. He has also been awarded National Museum of Korea 2014 and 2016 Museum Network Fellowship by Govt. of South Korea. Dr. Kumar has worked as Consultant and Assistant Archaeologist in Archaeological Survey of India. He has also worked as Research Scholar in Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA) and Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi. He has participated and supervised many archaeological excavations namely excavations at Lahuradeva (U.P), Bhirrana (Haryana), Baror (Rajasthan), Hansi (Haryana), Bhanpura (M.P), Gambhirwatola (M. P.), etc. He has undertaken many research projects and their outcomes have been presented in many National and International workshops, seminars and conferences. Dr. Kumar has worked with many International and National Scholars. He has published more than forty research papers in many national and International journals. He has authored the book titled, West Asian and Hellenistic Elements in Indian Art and Mani Sushma: Archaeology and Heritage.

Preface The term pre-Harappan has been used by many archaeologists for the Kot Diji-Sothi complex as it was used since Majumdar's time for Amri, Kulli, Nal and similar other cultures. Mohammad Rafique Mughal however, preferred the term 'Early Harappan Culture' for the Kot-Dijian culture complex as he is of the firm opinion that it represents the formative stage of the Harappan culture. He believes that the Harappan culture evolved out of the Kot Dijian, which of course, includes many regional variations.

Mughal observed that the Early Harappan culture of Kot Diji Sothi Complex in the Indus system evolved exclusively out of the Baluchi chalcolithic cultures. However, it appears that this Kot Diji complex was essentially an indigenously evolving river valley phenomenon. The excavations conducted at Jalilpur, Saraikhola, Banawali, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi and Kunal have brought to light the sequence of early cultures as it appeared in the Indus system. It shows that there were three phases of colonization of this region before the Harappan culture appeared on the scene.

Introduction A fter the initial stage of the Neolithic folk, Baluchistan developed number of Chalcolithic cultures much before the Harappan. culture developed. The whole of Baluchistan has been found inhabited by these folks during the early fourth millennium BCE. Some of these cultures are Amri, Nal, and Kulli in southern Baluchistan and some like Quetta and Zhob in northern Baluchistan.

**Contents and Sample Pages**