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Archaeologists have discovered ancient monuments, dating back to the
Mahabharat period, during excavations carried out near this city. The
excavations, carried over a period of five months, were suspended on July 7
due to the monsoon'
The archaeologists believe that Gwalior town was established in the first
century AD and not in eighth century AD, as was believed earlier. They
came to this conclusion following the discovery of a large community
structure at the Gwalior fort.
Superintending archaeologist of Madhya Pradesh A.K. Sinha said the
excavations had exposed a 1.7-metre thick burnt brick wall having a height
of about three metres.
Mr Sinha told TOINS that the wall appeared to be a part of a large
community structure, possibly a huge reservoir. On the basis of the
ceramic industry and workmanship, the structure was dated to the first
century AD.
Though Naga coins dating to the 2nd or 3rd century AD were found from the
surface on earlier occasions from Gwalior fort, this is the first time that
any structural remains dating back to the beginning of the Christian era
has been found. The ASI plans to carry out more excavations after the
monsoon.
A Mahabharat period site has also been found at Kotwar, about 40 km from
here. The site is located about eight km from Noorabad, a sub-divisional
town on the Agra-Mumbai highway. The excavations, which started in
February last, will be resumed after the monsoon.
According to the archaeologists, the site has been identified with
Kamantalpur, which was derived from the name of its founder, Kamant, father
of the mythological character in the Mahabharat, Kunti, who later became
the mother of the five Pandva brothers.
The site has a 18 to 20-metre-high mound and covers an area of about 2.5 sq
km, according to Mr Sinha. He said the site had also been identified as
one of the chief cities of the nine., Naga kings.
The archaeologists claim that the digging at Kotwar had led to the recovery
of painted greyware which had been interpreted by noted archaeologists B.B.
Lal, as belonging to the Mahabharat period.
During the excavations at Kotwar, black and redware and black slipped ware,
typical ceramic industries which pre-dated even the painted greyware
(1100-800 BC), were found from the lowest levels.
The remains found at Kotwar have been sent to the Physical Research
Laboratory and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Botany for precise dating.
The excavations also revealed a number of ring wells which date back to the
later half of the first millennium BC.
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