4,000 year old settlement found during excavation in Odisha

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 03, Jul 2021

• The Odisha Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies (OIMSEAS), the archaeological wing of the State government, has discovered a 4,000 year old Settlement and ancient artifacts in Balasore district.
• The site has circular mud fortification of about 4.9 kms, in between the river Sona and Burahabalang.
• Distinct traces of three cultural phases from the excavation site: Chalcolithic Age, Iron Age, Early Historic Period

(i) Chalcolithic Age (2000 to 1000 BC.)

• Two small nullahs Gangahara and Prassana join the site on its north and south forming a natural moat which was an ancient water management system developed at least 4,000 years ago
• Human settlement and artifacts belonging to the Chalcolithic period: the base of a circular hut, black on red painted pottery, black slipped ware, red slipped ware and copper objects.
• The people were mostly leading settled life and had started agriculture, domestication of animals and fishing

(ii) Iron Age (1000 to 400 BC)

Pottery remains of black burnished ware, black and red ware, iron objects like nails, arrow head, crucible and slag of various kinds belong to the Iron Age Period

(iii) Early Historic Period (400 to 200 BC)

• Materials such as pottery specimens of red ware, terracotta ear studs, bangles, beads, and some conical objects
• The lifestyle had improved to trade.
• The fortification signifies the emergence of urbanisation at  Durgadevi around 400 to 200 BCE