State PCS - Haryana (HCS)

• 08 Apr 2025

Protected Archaeological Sites in Haryana

Why in News? 

The Haryana government has declared two Harappan civilisation sites in Bhiwani district as protected monuments and archaeological sites.  

Key Points 

• About the Notification: 
  • The Haryana’s Principal Secretary for Heritage and Tourism issued a notification declaring the Mitathal site, covering 10 acres, as protected under the Haryana Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964. 
  • The Department will take steps to safeguard the site, including fencing and deploying a guard. 
• Historical Significance of Mitathal: 
  • Excavations at Mitathal, conducted since 1968, have revealed evidence of a Copper-Bronze Age culture from the 3rd-2nd millennia BCE. 
  • The site was first identified in 1913 when a hoard of Samudra Gupta coins was found. Further discoveries included beads, copper implements, and proto-historic material between 1965 and 1968. 
  • Excavations at Mitathal demonstrate Harappan traditions in urban planning, architecture, and craftsmanship. The site yielded well-burnt pottery, geometric designs, and various antiquities including beads, bangles, and terracotta objects. 
• Archaeological Importance of Tighrana: 
  • The Tighrana site offers insight into the evolution of human settlement after the Harappan period.  
    • Evidence suggests that the region was first inhabited by Chalcolithic agricultural communities around 2,400 BCE. 
  • The Sothians, as the early settlers were known, lived in small mud-brick houses with thatched roofs. They were engaged in agriculture and used wheel-made pottery with black-and-white designs. 
  • The remains from Tighrana show evidence of bead-making and jewellery production, with the discovery of beads and green carnelian bangles. 
  • Officials have confirmed that the ongoing discoveries provide valuable insights into pre-Siswal, pre-Harappan, and post-Harappan settlements in the area. 

 Harappan Civilization 

• The Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), flourished around 2500 BCE along the Indus River .  
• It was the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations alongside Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China.   
• The IVC is classified as a Bronze-age civilization due to the discovery of numerous artefacts made from copper-based alloys.  
• Daya Ram Sahni first excavated Harappa in 1921-22, and Rakhal Das Banerji began excavating Mohenjo-daro in 1922.  
  • Sir John Marshall, DG of ASI, was responsible for the excavations that led to the discovery of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites of IVC.