Excavations at Jhusi (Pratishthanpur) A Fresh Light on the Archaeological Profile of the Middle Gangetic Plain (Archaeology and Archaeozoology

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Jhusi, the ancient Pratishthanpur, is located just on the opposite side of the Ganga-Yamuna confluence, on the left bank of the Ganga. In Indian legend going back to hoary antiquity it has been associated as a capital of the rulers of the Lunar dynasty. As per legend Pururva and Urvasi of the mythological fame have been associated with this place. The archaeological remains at the site are scattered over 4.5 square km. Major portion of the ancient site has been occupied by the modern settlements, but the Samudrakup mound and the adjoining area is still intact enshrining in itself the cultural relics across the ages. Sir Mortimer Wheeler was very much fascinated by this mound. However, the archaeological investigations in and around the site resulted in the recovery of the sherds of famous Northern Black Polished Ware. Excavation at the site was planned now and then but incidentally it never materialized before 1995. In that year Department of Ancient History Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad conducted a small scale excavation at the site. To our utter surprise the excavation resulted in a more than 4 m thick deposit underlying NBPW deposit. The earlier phase of this deposit measuring 2.75 m was Chalcolithic in character, while its later phase was marked by the introduction of iron.

The explorations in and around the area revealed that there is a late Pleistocene and early Holocene deposit at the site measuring about 10 m. The Mesolithic people came and started operating on this platform. In this connection it may be pointed out that from Jamunipur and Nibi Kalan also microliths have been found.

The Neolithic people, as per archaeological record, were practicing agriculture and domestication. They also hunted wild animals, caught fish and turtle and hunted birds as well. This phase is marked by hand made pottery comprising rusticated red ware, cord impressed war, burnished red and burnished black ware along with crude black-and-red ware. Their tool repertoire comprised microliths and bone arrowheads.

From radiocarbon dates it appears that the Neolithic culture was introduced at the site in later half of 8th millennium B.C. The Chalcolithic culture started from the mid of second millennium B.C. The beginning of the NBPW culture at the site is traced back to the 7th century B.C. as per radiocarbon dates. The late Chalcolithicphase with iron implements at the site may be placed from 11th century B.C. to 7th century B.C. From the mid NBPW phase we have got evidence of writing, whereas at the site we can say that burnt brick was used from later half of sixth century B.C. The same statement can be made about the antiquity of coinage at the site also. in the early medieval period, there was temple building activity. The small sized images of Hindu gods have also been obtained from this horizon.

While the site was being excavated many dignitaries, eminent archaeologists and historians visited it. Their observations were often helpful. In this connection particular mention may be made of Prof. M.M. Joshi, the then minister of H.R.D., Government of India, Dr. N.K.S. Gaur, the then Minister of Higher Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Sri Ajay Shankar, the then Director general, Archaeological Survey of India, Prof. G.C. Pande, the then Chairman, Allahabad museum Society, Prof. J.S. Negi, former Head of Department Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, Prof. B.N.S. Yadava, former Head of Department and Art History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, Prof. S.N. Rai, former Head An Clepartment of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, Prof S.C. Bhattacharya, then Head of Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, Prof. Om Prakash, then Head of Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, Prof. R.K. Varma, former Head and Vice Chancellor, AP.S. University, Rewa and then Chairman, Allahabad Museum society, Prof. D. Mandal, Professor, Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, Prof. Purushottam Singh, the then Head of Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Prof. V.N. Misra, former Director, Deccan College, Pune, Prof. R.N. Misra, former Head, Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Prof. M.K. Dhavalikar, former Director, Deccan College, Pune, Prof. M.D. Kajale, Deccan College, Pune, and Prof. V.H. Sonawane, former Head, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, M.S. University, Baroda, Dr. Rakesh Tewari, Director, Archaeology Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. K.S. Saraswat of Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany To them our thanks are due. The archaeological team for 1995 also included Sri B.B. Misra, Dr. J.N.Pandey, Dr. U.C Chattopadhyaya and Dr. D.K. Shukla of our Department. We are thankful to them for their kind cooperation. Mata ji of Jhusi Ashram helped us immensely by providing camp space and other facilities in her Ashram and at the site, we are extremely thankful to her. The excavation programme at the site was assisted by Sarvasri H.N. Kar, L.K. Tewari, B.N. Rai, Rajendra Prasad, V.K. Khatri and Kamlesh Kumar as draftsmen and Sri Arvind Malviya, Sharad Surman, Sanjay Kumar (of Allahabad Museum) and Rajesh Kumar in photography. A number of research scholars of Department also participated. Among them mention may be made of Dr. Anil Kumar Dubey (now Member, Higher Education Commission, Uttar Pradesh) and Dr. Ram Naresh Pal (now Regional Archaeological Officer, Allahabad Region, Uttar Pradesh) and Dr. Sharad Pandey (now Lecturer, NCERT, Shillong). To all of them our thanks are due. We are also thankful to Dr. P.P. Joglekar who painstakingly studies the faunal remains and also contributed an informative report on the animal bones obtained from the excavations. Last but not the least we also express our thanks to Shri K.N. Dikshit whose persistent insistence resulted in this monograph.

The middle Ganga Valley has been the cradle of Indian culture and civilization. It has been a meeting ground of different cultures, creeds and races. Elasticity in thought and action has been the hall mark of the people inhabiting this region. The divine gospels contained in some of the Upnishads were conceived and preached in this region. It had the privilege of hearing the philosophical discourses of a Yagyavalkya. It is the land associated with the story of the Ramayana.

The deductive portions of the Mahabharata are supposed to have been written in this region.

Buddha and Mahavira were not only born in this region, they also delivered their sermons to the people of this area. From 6th century B.C. onward the middle Ganga Valley played a crucial role in the political history of India. From the times of Bimbisara to that of Ashoka, the history of the mid-Ganga valley was the history of India. It was this region, which witnessed the rise of the two empires - the Mauryas and the Guptas. Viewed against such an illustrious history, tradition and legends the recorded archaeological relics of the region upto the fifties of the 20th century looked prosaic.

The Northern Black Polished Ware appeared to be the earliest cultural relics of man discovered in the area. However, the archaeological investigations over the last six decades under the auspices of the Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad, the Banaras Hindu University, Gorakhpur University and Patna University on the one hand, State Departments of Archaeology, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and Archaeological Survey of India on the other hand brought to light the relics of human culture right from the Late Upper Palaeolithic to

the early historical periods, through Mesolithic, Neolithic and Chalcolithic (Fig.1.1). Except the Eipalaeolithic phase almost all phases of the cultures of the Central Ganga plain, as revealed by excavations and explorations in the neighbouring area, are present at Jhusi. In the following pages an attempt is being made to highlight the salient features of all the cultural phases of Jhusi, which will throw welcome light on the cultural sequence and salient features of each culture of the central Ganga plain.