https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Malwa_cultureMalwa culture - Revision history2026-08-01T05:09:32ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Malwa_culture&diff=469769&oldid=prevNicholasPrentice at 01:26, 15 March 20252025-03-15T01:26:28Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Archaeological culture in India}}<br />
{{about|the Chalcolithic archaeological culture in Central India|the present-day culture of this region|Malwa#Culture}}<br />
The '''Malwa culture''' was a [[Chalcolithic]] [[archaeological culture]] which existed in the [[Malwa]] region of Central India and parts of [[Maharashtra]] in the [[Deccan Peninsula]]. It is mainly dated to {{circa|1600|1300}} BCE,<ref>P. K. Basant (2012), [https://books.google.com/books?id=KOJ8aT3xYPoC''The City and the Country in Early India: A Study of Malwa''], p.85</ref> but calibrated [[radiocarbon dating|radiocarbon dates]] have suggested that the beginning of this culture may be as early as {{circa}} 2000-1750 BCE.<ref>Upinder Singh (2008), [https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC ''A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century''], p.227</ref><br />
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[[File:NavdatoliGoblet1300BCE.jpg|thumb|left|Ceramic goblet from Navdatoli, Malwa, 1300 BCE.]]<br />
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This culture is characterized by the increasing dominance of the agricultural way of life, but also incorporated pastoralist and hunting groups. The people cultivated wheat, barley, legumes, and later rice, and domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. At most of the settlements, there is no evidence of urban planning, rather a "haphazard" distribution of houses, but some of the largest sites have evidence of planned settlement, large houses, and [[Public Architecture|public architecture]]. Most dwellings were round huts made from [[wattle-and-daub]]. There are also small round huts used for storing grain, and large rectangular structures which may have been used for religious performances.<ref>Basant (2012), pp.85-91</ref><ref>Singh (2008), pp.227-229</ref><br />
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Their pottery was red or orange, and painted with geometric, floral, animal, and human designs in black. Copper and stone were used to make tools. Beads of [[semi-precious stone]]s have been found. Objects made from seashells indicate trade with coastal communities in [[Gujarat]], such as [[Bharuch]]. Evidence of religion includes bull idols, worship of trees, snakes, and goddesses, and altars for fire sacrifices.<ref>Basant (2012), pp.85-91</ref><ref>Singh (2008), pp.227-229</ref><br />
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Sites of the Malwa Culture include [[Daimabad]], [[Inamgaon]], [[Kayatha]], [[Nagda]], [[Vidisha]], [[Eran]], [[Mandsaur]], and [[Navdatoli]] (near [[Maheshwar]]).<ref>Basant (2012), pp.290-292</ref><ref>Singh (2008), p.228</ref><br />
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It is preceded by the [[Kayatha]], [[Ahar-Banas culture|Ahar-Banas]], and Savalda cultures, and succeeded by the [[Jorwe culture]] and the [[Black and red ware culture]].<br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[History of Madhya Pradesh]]<br />
*[[Pottery in the Indian subcontinent]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Chalcolithic cultures of Asia]]<br />
[[Category:Archaeological cultures of South Asia]]<br />
[[Category:History of Madhya Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Archaeological cultures in India]]<br />
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{{Asia-culture-stub}}</div>NicholasPrentice