400-Year-Old Idols Found in Haryana | 27 Apr 2024

Why in News?

Recently, three metal idols, estimated to be about 400 years old, were unearthed during excavation for a house construction project in Baghanki village near Manesar.

Key Points

  • The police have seized the ancient idols and instructed the owner to halt construction activities.
  • The Archeology Department will conduct additional excavation to search for any additional idols on the site.
  • The idols recovered include a standing idol of Lord Vishnu, an idol of Goddess Lakshmi and a joint idol of Goddess Laxmi and Lord Vishnu.

Important Archaeological Sites of Haryana

  • Bhirrana: A small village in Fatehabad District, is located about 220 km northwest of New Delhi. The site is situated along the ancient Saraswati riverine systems, now represented by the seasonal Ghaggar flows in modern Haryana. Hakra Ware dating back to the 8th-7th millennium BCE has been found at Bhirrana, making it contemporaneous with the early Harappan Ravi phase culture. The estimated antiquity of Bhirrana is based on charcoal samples, giving dates of 7570-7180 BCE and 6689-6201 BCE.
  • Banawali: It is an archaeological site of the Indus Valley Civilization in Fatehabad district, Haryana. It is located 120 km northeast of Kalibangan and 16 km from Fatehabad, on the left bank of the dried up Sarasvati River. The excavation also uncovered a defense wall with a height of 4.5 m and thickness of 6 m, as well as well-planned houses with rooms, toilets, and streets. A flight of steps near the fortification is considered an important formation by the Archaeological Survey of India.
  • Rakhigarhi: It is the largest Harappan site in the Indian subcontinent which is located in Hisar District of Haryana. The site is situated in the plains of Saraswati river, about 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river. To study its evolution from 6000 BC (Pre-Harappan phase) to 2500 BC, excavations were carried out at Rakhigarhi under the leadership of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) archaeologist Amarendra Nath.