EloyNoble34 at 07:33, 17 March 2026

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{{Short description|Archaeological site in West Bengal, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Dihar
|native_name =
|alternate_name =
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|map_type = India West Bengal
|map_alt =
|relief = y
|map_size = 270
|coordinates = {{Coord|23|07|10|N|87|22|00|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=95}}
|location = [[Dihar]], [[West Bengal]], India
|region =
|type = Settlement
|part_of =
|length =
|width =
|area =
|height =
|builder =
|material =
|built = 2700 BCE{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=97}}
|abandoned = [[Medieval India|Medieval]]/[[Medieval India#Late medieval period|Late Medieval]] (Malla)
|epochs =
|cultures = [[Neolithic]] and [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|Early village farming culture]]{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=96–97}}
|dependency_of =
|occupants =
|event = not known
|excavations = 1983–84, 1984–85, 1993–94, 2008–09 and 2012–13
|archaeologists =
|condition = Ruined
|ownership = Public
|management =
|public_access = Yes
|website = 
|notes =
}}
'''Dihar''' is an [[archaeological site]] of Neolithic and [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|Early village farming culture]] located in the Indian state of [[West Bengal]]. Construction of the settlement is believed to have started around 2700 BC.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=97}} Dihar people developed a system of exploitation of natural resources and subsequent [[Commodification|commercialization of commodities]] (prehistoric exchange system). The financial security afforded by this system encouraged artistic excellence in [[pottery]] making (which surely entails an appreciation of created forms) and bone-working.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=126–127}}

The prehistoric settlement at Dihar village was discovered in 1983 by the [[University of Calcutta]]'s Department of Archaeology.<ref name="asi1">{{cite web |title=Excavations – Since Independence – West Bengal « Archaeological Survey of India |url=https://asi.nic.in/excavations-since-independence-west-bengal/ |website=asi.nic.in |access-date=29 September 2023}}</ref> Excavations at Dihar were carried out in two phase, the first phase was conducted in 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1993–94<ref name="asi1"/> and the second phase in 2008–09 and 2012–13.{{sfn|Deshpande-Mukherjee|Chattopadhyay|2023|p=153}}

Bowls, black-red pottery and miniature vessels were discovered during the excavations. Human skeletal remains have also been found in the excavations.{{sfn|Majumder et al.|2017|p=606}}

==History==
In the early period (pre-metal phase) the people of Dihar were involved with agriculture. At this time they did not know the use of metals. They mainly used various tools made from stone. Animal husbandry existed alongside food production through agriculture. This change was achieved after the abandonment of the subsistence technique of prolonged [[Hunter-gatherer|hunting-gathering]].{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=126–127}}

It is estimated that they started using metal around 1500 BC. Evidence of the use of metal has been found in Dihar as early as 1300 BC.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=126–127}}

During the early historic period population and settlement characteristics, including area, increased rapidly. Apparently, settlement shifted along a north-south axis about 1000 BCE.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=130–131}}

By the end of [[Mallabhum kingdom|Malla period]] (10th to 17th centuries AD) the settlement had spread beyond their earlier boundaries, and developed into an emerging politico-religious consciousness. Two [[Shiva]] temples of Dihar were built on top of the structural mounds or remains of the earlier settlement to legitimise of the relationship between the ruling authority and the ruled.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=130–131}}

===Chronology===
According to the samples obtained, the Dihar period is divided into six cultural phases. Use of metals was absent in the first phase, but use of metals began in the second phase; in two phases, the [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|Early Agricultural Culture]] and the [[Black and red ware|Black-Red Pottery]] Culture developed. The third phase belonged to the early historic period. The Black-Red Pottery culture was present during this phase. The fourth phase belonged to the Early [[Medieval India|Indian Middle Ages]]. The fifth and sixth phases included the pre-Malla and the [[Mallabhum kingdom|Malla period]] of the medieval respectively.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=96–97}}{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2015|pp=242–243}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Stages
! Dates
! Events
|-
| Stage I
| 2700–1500 BCE
| [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|Early Agricultural Culture]] and [[Black and red ware|Black-Red Pottery]] Culture
|-
| Stage II
| 1500–500 BCE
| [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|Early Agricultural Culture]] and [[Black and red ware|Black-Red Pottery]] Culture
|-
| Stage III
|
| early historic period
|-
| Stage IV
|
| Indian Middle Ages
|-
| Stage V
| scope="row" rowspan="2" | 10th to 17th centuries AD
| pre-Malla period
|-
| Stage VI
| Malla period
|}

==Archaeology==
Four mounds have been standing in Dihar village since ancient times. The villagers were aware of the presence of mounds. Except the Hirapur mound, the remaining three mounds have temple.{{sfn|Tewari|2015a|pp=129–31}} Later the [[University of Calcutta]] undertook a program of survey exploration and excavation. This settlement was discovered while exploring the mounds. Dihar was first excavated in 1984 and last in 2013, which extending Bengal's [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|early village farming culture]] to 2700 BC.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=97}} The site is located 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) from [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]], the capital of the medieval [[Mallabhum kingdom]], on the north bank of the [[Dwarakeswar River|Dwarakeswar]] river.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=95}}{{sfn|Tewari|2015a|p=128}}

Archaeologists claim that the settlement was a center of early village farming culture and the [[Black and red ware]] culture of [[West Bengal]].{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2015|pp=242–243}} According to the [[Radiocarbon dating|carbon 14 dating]] of samples from the Hirapur mound, Dihar is the oldest archaeological settlement of the early village farming culture discovered in modern [[West Bengal]]. Among the four mounds at Dihar, the oldest specimen is from the Hirapur mound, which is 4700 years old.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=97}} Early village farming culture in Dihar existed between 2700 BC and 1500 BC,{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=97}}{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2015|pp=242–243}} which was contemporary with the Pre-Harappan, Harappan and Post-Harappan periods.

==Civilization==
The people of Dihar contributed in settlement, [[metallurgy]] and pottery to the civilization of [[Bengal]] and Lower Gangetic Valley. They also contributed to jewellery making; in the early period jewellery was made from bone and later from metal.

===Metallurgy and jewellery===
The people of Dihar first started using copper, and later iron. The plateau environment, and the forest dwellers and ancient metalworking traditions in the forest region must have influenced and dictated the situation at Dihar. The [[Chota Nagpur Plateau|Chota Nagpur plateau]] served as a potential metal source. Workers made [[Ring (jewellery)|rings]] and rods from copper. Perhaps these sticks were used for applying eye [[collyrium]].{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=121}}

A broken specimen was recovered from Mansatala Mound. It was probably identified as a tool used for gathering [[aquatic plant]]s or for bush clearance. This eroded specimen has a considerable thickness with 5.6 cm. According to the weight and shape, it suggests to be classified as a "heavy-duty" tool. Only a skilled metalworker would be able to make such an elaborate tool, which making Dihar's metalworkers demonstrative of skilled craftsmanship.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=121–122}}

===Art===
[[Terracotta]] beads, various toys, discs and animal figurines have been found at Dihar. An unidentified animal figure of red color was found with two legs in a diagonal position at the back of the body. A few more fragmentary parts of animal figurines have been excavated. All these figurines bears witness to the technical skill of the Dihar's artists. All the excavated fragments are red in colour. Fragments of a human figure, red in color, were found.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=123–124}}

Dihar artists painted designs on red and black colored pottery. Both white and cream colors have been used. It was customary to fill the entire interior of ceramic dishes with two diagonally running designs with rows of straight and slanted parallel strokes painted in white. The exterior surface close to the rim is encircled by a band of petal-like motifs surmounted by a row of parallel strokes. In most cases the decorative elements were applied near the neck of the vessels and below the border line from where the slope towards the base begins. The ceramic art of Dihar is comparable to the [[Ganges |Ganges Valley]] archaeological sites such as the Raja Nal Mound (Raja Nal Ka Tila), Malhar, [[Lahuradewa]], [[Jhusi]], Narhan, Agiabir and Senuwar.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=116–17}}

===Cultivation and Diet===
Excavated mounds have revealed the existence of an early rural agricultural culture, which gives an indication of cultivation by the inhabitants of the settlement.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=97}} The bones of many animals including domestic and wild, indicate a wide food culture.{{sfn|Deshpande-Mukherjee|Chattopadhyay|2023|p=160}} In addition, [[bone tool]]s, [[arrowhead]]s and [[spear]]s provide evidence of the [[hunter-gatherer]] lifestyle of the inhabitants.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=117–119}}

==Excavated Dihar==
The archaeological site was discovered by excavating four mounds at Dehar village, namely Maa Bhavanitala Dhibi, Hirapur Dhibi, Mansatala Dhibi and Kalbhairavatala Dhibi.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=95}} The Maa Bhavanitala ''Dhibi'' (mound) is spread over 300 square meters.{{sfn|Tewari|2015a|p=129}}

===Cut and worked bones===
Cut bone and bone tools, arrowheads, and spears have been found.{{sfn|Tewari|2015a|pp=133–34}} Industrial or manufacturing workshops (potters and metal workers) and furnaces are visible on the Mansatala mound.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=117–119}}{{sfn|Tewari|2015a|pp=133–34}}{{sfn|Tewari|2015b|p=184}}

===Human skeleton===
An almost completely preserved [[human skeleton]] has been excavated from the Manasatala mound,{{sfn|Majumder et al.|2017|p=606}} which provides very good information about the age, sex and disease. The human skeleton was studied in November 2013, which probably belongs to the early historic period.{{sfn|Majumder et al.|2017|p=608}} According to the test results, the skeleton was that of a male, and was around 45 to 50 years old.{{sfn|Majumder et al.|2017|p=611}} On observation, lesions in teeth and bones, and pathological lesions were observed. Unfortunately the skeleton does not help to understand the population.{{sfn|Majumder et al.|2017|p=617}}

===Pottery===
Evidence of pottery begins from Period I. [[Black and red ware|Black and red pottery]], carinated vessels, basins, [[Tumbler (glass)|tumblers]] and miniature pots give evidence of [[Ceramic|ceramic industry]].{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|pp=111–117}}{{sfn|Tewari|2015a|p=133}}

===Wattle and daub structures===
Reed impressed clay have been found, which reflecting widespread use of [[Wattle and daub]] structures. Presumably, the structures were originally used for construction of house. According to the results obtained from sample tests, Wattle and daub structures were built during the Pre-Metallic and Metallic [[Early Agricultural Communities in Bengal|early village farming culture]]. The tradition of building such structures to have continued for a much longer period. In excavation, mud or rammed floor and reed impressed chunks were found.{{sfn|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013|p=110}}

==References==
{{Reflist|3}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite journal
|last1=Chattopadhyay |first1=Rupendra Kumar
|last2=Acharya |first2=Dipsikha
|last3=Majumder |first3=Shubha
|last4=Sain |first4=Malay Kumar
|last5=Biswas |first5=Pampa
|last6=Mondal |first6=Bijan
| date = 2013
|title=Excavation at Dihar 2012-2013 : An Interim Report |url=https://www.academia.edu/36290222/Excavation_at_Dihar_2012_2013_An_Interim_Report
|access-date=27 September 2023
|ref = {{harvid|Chattopadhyay et al.|2013}} |journal=Pratna Samiksha |volume=1 |pages=9–33
}}
* {{cite journal |editor1-last=Tewari |editor1-first=Dr. Rakesh
|title=Indian Archeology 2008-09 - Review
|date=2015a
|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India
|url=https://asi.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/iar_2008_09.pdf
|access-date=28 September 2023
|journal=Pratna Samiksha
}}
* {{cite book
|last1=Chattopadhyay |first1=Rupendra Kumar
|last2=Bandyopadhyay |first2=KumKum
|date=1 December 2015
|title=Studies in South Asian Heritage: essays in memory of M Harunur Rashid | chapter=A Preliminary Study of the Worked Bone Industry in the Middle and Lower Ganga Valleys: From the Mesolithic to the Early Historic Periods
|publisher=Bangla Academy
|isbn=9789840753833
|ref={{harvid|Chattopadhyay et al.|2015}}
}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Tewari |editor1-first=Dr. Rakesh
|title=Indian Archeology 2012-13 - Review
|date=2015b
|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India
|url=https://www.asihyderabadcircle.com/storage/files/V3aINVXeS0xswPnAJISMIqrfbdiWvN9J6UsMuFMm.pdf
|access-date=29 September 2023
}}
* {{cite journal |ref={{harvid|Majumder et al.|2017}} |last1=Majumder |first1=Shubha |last2=Mushrif-Tripathy |first2=Veena |last3=Acharya |first3=Dipsikha
|date=2017
|title=Preliminary Studies of Human Skeletal Remains Excavated from Dihar (2012 ‐ 13), District Bankura, West Bengal |url=https://www.academia.edu/36066121/Preliminary_Studies_of_Human_Skeletal_Remains_Excavated_from_Dihar_2012_13_District_Bankura_West_Bengal
|access-date=27 September 2023
|journal=Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology
|volume=5
}}
* {{cite journal |first1=Arati | last1 = Deshpande-Mukherjee |last2=Chattopadhyay |first2=R.K.
|date=2023
|title=Animals in Archaeology: Integrating Landscapes, Environment and Humans in South Asia
|url=http://www.heritageuniversityofkerala.com/Publications/P1/7_Deshpande-Mukherjee%20and%20Chattopadhyay_PPJ_Updated_20230201.pdf
|access-date=29 September 2023
|journal=Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology
|publisher=University of Kerala
|volume=1
}}

{{Ancient-Medieval sites in Bengal}}
{{Archaeological sites in India}}

[[Category:Archaeological sites in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Ancient Bengal]]

Dihar archaeological site - Revision history

EloyNoble34 at 07:33, 17 March 2026