CleanupBot II at 18:57, 13 August 2023

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{{distinguish|Benaulim}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Banawali
|native_name =
|alternate_name =
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|map_type = India Haryana#India
|map_alt =
|map_size = 270
|relief =
|coordinates = {{Coord|29|35|54|N|75|23|31|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
|location = Baguwali, [[Haryana]], [[India]]
|region =
|type = Settlement
|part_of =
|length =
|width =
|area =
|height =
|builder =
|material =
|built =
|abandoned =
|epochs = [[Periodization of the Indus Valley Civilization|Harappan 3A]] to [[Periodization of the Indus Valley Civilization|Harappan 5]]
|cultures = [[Indus Valley Civilization]]
|dependency_of =
|occupants =
|event =
|excavations =
|archaeologists = R. S. Bisht
|condition =
|ownership =
|management =
|public_access =
|website = 
|notes =
}}

'''Banawali''' ([[Devanagari]]: बनावली) is an [[archaeological site]] belonging to [[Indus Valley Civilization]] period in [[Fatehabad district]], [[Haryana]], [[India]] and is located about 120 km northeast of [[Kalibangan]] and 16 km from Fatehabad. Banawali, which is earlier called Vanavali, is on the left banks of dried up [[Sarasvati River]].<ref name=asi>{{cite web|last=Archaeological Survey of India|title=Excavations - Banawali|url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_exca_imp_haryana.asp|publisher=website|access-date=22 April 2016}}</ref> Comparing to Kalibangan, which was a town established in lower middle valley of dried up Sarasvathi River, Banawali was built over upper middle valley of Sarasvathi River.<ref name="fatehabad.nic.in">fatehabad.nic.in</ref>

==Excavation==

This site was excavated by R.S. Bisht (ASI). The excavations revealed the following sequence of cultures:<ref name="IAR">{{cite web|url=http://www.asi.nic.in/nmma_reviews/Indian%20Archaeology%201987-88%20A%20Review.pdf|title=Indian Archaeology - A Review, 1987-88|last=Joshi|first=M.C. (ed.)|year=1993|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|pages=23–7|access-date=2009-11-05}}</ref>
* Period I: Pre-Harappan (Kalibangan)(c.2500-2300 BCE)<ref name=asi/>
** Period IA: Pre-defence Phase
** Period IB: Defence Phase
** Period IC: Transitional Phase (Proto-Harappan)
* Period II: Mature Harappan (c.2300-1700 BCE)<ref name=asi/>
* Period III: Post-Harappan (Banawali-Bara)(c.1700-1500/1450 BCE)<ref name=asi/>

===Period I (c. 2500-2300 BCE)===
Well planned houses constructed out of kiln burnt and moulded bricks. Pottery consisting of vase and jar, is divided into two groups, based on general design. Pottery assemblage is very similar to those of Kalibangan I period.<ref name=asi/>

===Period II (c. 2300-1700BCE)===
Defence wall of more than 105 m length, 4.5 m height, 6 m width was found at this site.<ref name=asi/> Well planned Harappan style chess-board pattern fortified town, measuring 200m x 500m<ref name=singh>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Upinder|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India : from the Stone Age to the 12th century|year=2008|publisher=Pearson Education|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788131711200|pages=152–153, 171, 179|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&q=banawali}}</ref> was established during this period.<ref name=asi/> This fortified area consisted of two adjacent areas, one thought to be for ruling class and other one for common people.<ref name=asi/> In the area meant for common people, house blocks with north-south thoroughfares cutting at right angles, which further connected by east-west lanes,<ref name=asi/> reflecting urban nature of streets. Houses, which were constructed on both sides of lanes, were having rammed earth floor, mud plastered walls, rooms, kitchen, toilet. Houses were having storage facilities, similar to strong rooms found at [[Kuntasi]]<ref name=jane>{{cite book|last=McIntosh|first=Jane R.|title=The Ancient Indus Valley : New Perspectives|year=2008|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|isbn=9781576079072|pages=229|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1AJO2A-CbccC&q=banwali}}</ref>

===Period III (c.1700-1500/1450BCE)===
This period is represented by [[Bara culture]], which may be termed as post-Harappan or late contemporary Harappa.<ref name=asi/>

==Architecture==
Archaeological Survey of India has done excavation in this place revealed well constructed fort town of Harappan period overlaying an extensive proto-urban settlement of pre Harappan Period.<ref>S.R.Rao, (1991) Dawn and Devolution of Indus Civilisation, Aditya Prakashan, New Delhi</ref> A defence wall was also found with a height of 4.5 m and thickness of 6 m which was traced up to a distance of 105 m.<ref name="asi"/>

Houses, with rammed earthen floors, were well planned with rooms and toilets and houses were constructed on either sides of streets and lanes.<ref name="asi"/>

Near South-eastern area of fortification, flight of steps is found rising from 'Lower town' to Acropolis and ASI considers this as important formation.<ref name=asi2/> The staircase of 'lower town' is near a bastion looking construction.<ref name=asi2/>

===Houses===
In a multi roomed house having kitchen and toilet, several seals, weights were found, indicating that the owner of the house may possibly have been a merchant.<ref name=singh/> A bigger house revealed a large number of gold beads, lapis lazuli, carnelian, tiny weights and a 'touch stone'-like stone with streaks of gold, indicating that the house belonged to a jeweler or ornament maker.<ref name=singh/>
Several houses in Banawali show evidence of fire altars, which were also associated with apsidal structures indicating ritualistic purposes.<ref name=singh/>

==Artefacts recovered==
S-shaped jars, cooking vessels, ovens, tandoors, painted earthen pots etc. Painted motifs include, peacocks, pipal leaves, tree, deer, star, fish, flowers, intersecting circles, checker board patterns, honey comb patterns. Harappan seals carrying pictures of Rhinoceros, wild goat, ibex, unicorn, composite animal with tiger body. Gold, copper, bronze pieces, gold beads, copper, lapis lazuli, bangles of shells etc.<ref name="asi"/><ref name="fatehabad.nic.in"/> The pottery found, is comparable with Harappan pottery in fineness and pottery assemblage is very similar to assemblage of [[Kalibangan]] I.<ref name="asi"/>

==Importance==
Among two most important finds during 1987-88 are<ref name=asi2>[http://asi.nic.in/nmma_reviews/Indian%20Archaeology%201987-88%20A%20Review.pdf Indian Archaeology - A Review, 1987-88, page 21-27]</ref>

# one is a burnished greyware decorated with two bucranian motifs in appliqué, which closely resembles more or less, similar bovine heads occurring in painting on Pre-Harappan pots from Kot-Diji, Kalibangan etc.

#The other one is an unbaked clay figure of an which has deep cut criss-cross incisions on the back as well on one side of the neck, thereby imparting it an appearance of a horse, as the former may suggest the saddle and the latter the mane.<ref name=asi2/>
Other finds include ivory comb, a terracotta cake with an engraved ass, human figures - both male and female, a tortoise shell etc.<ref name=asi2/>
Many items of gold, silver etc. have also been found.

==Decline==
The decline of urban life at Banawali and Kalibangan appears to be all of a sudden.<ref name=singh/>

==Other observations==
The earlier bricks in Banawali had the Kalibangan ratio of 3:2:1, but later bricks had the ratio 4:2:1. One weight was found that weigh 87.855 grams, about 100 times 0.857 gram (a more common weight in Harappa). The wall surrounding this site was probably to face floods of Sarasvati River, and the wall collapsed due to water damage.<ref name=jane/> Marine shells were found at Banawali as well as at [[Harappa]], Kalibangan, which are far away from sea shore and such findings indicate internal trade between the regions during early Indus period.<ref name=jane/> Seals were only found in lower town and not in citadel;several small stone weights and terracotta plough model was also found.<ref name=singh/> Large number of female figurines are found at this site as well as at Mohenjadaro, Harappa.<ref name=singh/>
A touchstone bearing gold streaks was found, which was probably used for testing the purity of gold (a technique that is still being used in this area).<ref name=Lal>{{cite book|last=Lal|first=B.B.|title=The Sarasvatī flows on : the continuity of Indian culture|year=2002|publisher=Aryan Books International|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788173052026|pages=147|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ultAAAAMAAJ&q=87}}</ref>

As is the practice, most of the finds have been reburied. However, a well of the Harappan era has been well preserved and stands as a testimony to the antiquity of the village.

==See also==

* [[Rakhigarhi]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160704103504/http://draupaditrust.org/content/International%20con/rigveda/PadmaShri%20Dr.%20R.S.%20Bisht.pdf Excavation website]

{{Indus Valley Civilization}}
{{Haryana}}

[[Category:Major Indus Valley Civilisation sites]]
[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Haryana]]
[[Category:Fatehabad district]]
[[Category:Bara culture]]
[[Category:Sarasvati River]]
[[Category:Pre-Indus Valley Civilisation sites]]

Banawali - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 18:57, 13 August 2023