From: kutchsciencefoundation@... Dear editorials, friends of
Archaeology, science, History and documentation,
Last year visit to KANMER in JULY 1st 2007 showed very interesting as well as
disappointing findings. As the excavations showed very intersting site but
disappontment of loosing some of the important findings eg human skull is
missing between the timing of the Excavations and the last visit in July 1st
2007, from the excavation site.
GANDHINAGAR: The state department of archaeology, Kyoto University of Japan and
Rajasthan Vidyapith have agreed to undertake a joint research work on Harappan
culture with special reference to language, script and economy as there is a
great resemblance between the 4000-year-old civilisation and that of
pictographic script of Japan and China. The archeology department has identified
a Harappan site at Kanmer near Rapar in Kutch district where the joint research
team of the three institutions would start studying the various aspects of their
subject on the basis of remnants to be excavated there. 'This is the second
major joint research work on Harappan culture and civilisation next to Dholavira
which was carried out by the Archeology Survey of India in ‘90s,' informed Y S
Rawat, director of the state department of archeology. The state government has
already received consent from Kyoto University and Rajasthan Vidyapith, having
its headquarters in Udaipur, and the MoU for the joint research project would be
inked soon. 'The joint venture is being undertaken after the researchers in
Japan showed great interest in studying the ancient culture and wanted to find
out whether there was a resemblance in language script and trade and business
activities of Harappan script and economy with that of Japan and China,'
observed Rawat who has worked with top historian S R Rao on his Dwarka project.
Centre gives ok on Kamner project, experts ready to dig in Archaeological Dept
ties up with Kyoto University, work at the site to begin in a monthCENTRE
go-ahead received, the State will witness excavation at yet another Harappan
site in Kutch. The ambitious project — clearance for which comes after an
year-long wait — sees the tie-up between the State Archaeological Department and
Japan’s Kyoto University . And, in a month, work will be in full swing at the
site near Kanmer village of Rapar taluka, according to official sources.
Principal Secretary (Youth and Cultural Activities) V N Maira says that a
proposal seeking Centre’s clearance for excavation had been sent about a year
ago, and “we are happy that all the Union ministries concerned including
Culture, Human Resource Development, External Affairs amd Home, have cleared it,
paving the way for excavation at the site”. A team of experts from Kyoto
University had visited the site twice late last year and early this year. With
the Japanese University agreeing to fund the project, Kanmer will be the third
Harappan site to be dug up in Kutch — with Dholavira and Surkotada being the two
other major sites already excavated. ‘Excavation will begin at the earliest,
most probably some time next month,’’ says Maira , adding the ASI had first
discovered the site in 1985. Preliminary reports suggest that the layout of the
settlement is similar to that at the Surkotada site, he said. And like
Surkotada, Kanmer — 30 km south-west of Surkotada — is also well fortified, he
said.
The site was first discussed with Kyoto University experts by Dr Jeevan
Kharakwal, an assistant professor of archaeology at the J R N Rajasthan
Vidyapith, Udaipur, which will also lend its support to the project. Kharakwal
recently visited Japan to discuss the project details with his Japanese
counterparts. Japanese team wants to get Kanmer project done purely from the
linguistic point of view, said a senior official in the State Archaeological
Department.
They are curious to decipher the script of the Harappan civilisation. An report
suggests that Kanmer, Dholavira and Surkotada might have been located on the
trade route between Sindh and Saurashtra. Besides, Kanmer might have been an
important administrative and commercial centre controlling the Harappan
enterprises across the Rann in Saurashtra as well as the central

Gujarat mainland, the study states. Well developed Harappan town excavated in
Gujarat Udaipur, Mar 14: A well-developed Harappan town has been found in Rapar
area of Gujarat's Kachch district during excavation by Gujarat Archeological
Department and a team of research scholars from various universities.
In the excavation, structure of a strong outer wall, some 9.5 metre high,
foodgrains like rice, wheat, barley, lentils etc were recovered from some 30
trenches, director of excavation team Jeevan Singh Kharakwal said here today.
'The first phase excavation indicates a well developed and mature Harappan
town,' he said. The trenches also revealed some sections of streets or lanes
suggesting the kind of town that might have existed.
Kharakwal said that deposits were found at various depth of 10 to 12 metres
indicating four different cultural stages. During excavation, the team also
discovered microliths weighing around 134 grams made of steatite (soapstones)
and pottery belonging to mature Harappan and late Harappan period.
A team of research scholars from institute of Rajasthan studies, Janardan Rai
Nagar Rajasthan Vidyapeeth University in collaboration with Gujarat
Archaeological Department started the first phase excavation from January this
year, which ended last Friday, in a small village Kanmer on state highway no 15
near Adesar, Radhaupur in Gujarat.
'The excavation work was part of a three year project,' Dr Kharakal said. During
excavation, experts like Dr Thakkar from Indian Space Research Organisation and
Dr Alok Tripathi from Archaeological Survey of India, visited the site. He said
a team from Japan is likely to join them in near future.



FROM Dr.BHUDIA-Science Group Of
INDIA.http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/venustransit_2004/President:'Kutch
Science Foundation'.Founder :'Kutch Amateurs Astronomers Club - Bhuj -
Kutch'.Life Member:'kutch Itihaas Parishad'.kutchscience@...,
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