Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

ARCHAEOLOGY

Sometimes underwater metal detector can be used for locating objects within a range of 3 to 4 m from the instrument.

B.C. there was no occupation for almost 1000 years. A large number of three-holed triangular anchors of sandstone and pris- matic shaped ones have been found along the rocky ridge in the old submerged channel of Gomati. At the extreme end about 1.5 km there is a rocky ridge at 15 m water depth. Large prismatic stone anchors with 3 holes are lying here. The man-made holes in the ridge suggest that large ships were moored here, while the smaller boats ferried in the channel. The evidence from Bet Dwaraka is equally significant. The fort wall extending in Sector BDKI (in patches) over 500m on the south eastern shore of the island is dated 1500 B.C. on the basis of the TL date of pottery from the site. Another wall of rubble found sub- merged near the Central Sector of the eastern shore (BDK VIII) is 558m in periphery. Nearby are two rock-cut slipways for launch- ing boats. In the northern sector at Balapur, also a small portion of a submerged wall, could be traced. These two structures are visible in lowest low water only, The ancient city in Bet Dwaraka seems to have extended over a length of 4km. The proto-historic settlement in Dwaraka is traced over an area of 1.5km. The submerged Gomati channel widened and deepened gradually and perhaps joined the sea about 1.5 km from the present shore. It carried heavier load of water 3500 years ago, as indicated by the cutting in the rock. Another channel south of the channel extending seaward of Gomati ghat has come to light as a result of side scan sonar survey.

Lately two underwater scooters (Aquazepp) (fig: 39) have been deployed for quick and efficient survey of a large city sub- merged in the sea.

Submerged Dwaraka The major discoveries 1.2 km seaward of Dwaraka are the inner and outer fort walls of the city (fig:40) with a gateway complex flanked by bastions (fig:41) built on a boulder-packing. The outer gateway led to the sea and the inner one to the river Gomati. In all, there are four enclosures two on each bank of the river. There are traces of a stone jetty where ships used to be berthed. A few flights of steps from the river, and what looks like a paved path in the city are also recorded. The protection wall built of massive dressed sand stone blocks are in situ upto 1 to 2 m height but the

Antiquities

One of the most important finds from the underwater excavation of Bet Dwaraka is a small seal of conch shell engraved with a 3- headed animal motif representing the bull, unicorn and goat (fig :42)

A similar animal motif can be seen on two seals one each from Mohenjo-Daro and Kalibangan. But the emaci- ated body and exaggerated eyes of the animals on the Bet Dwaraka seal distin- guish it from the Indus Valley seals. The art style is more akin to that of proto-historic Bahrain with which Dwaraka had trade and cultural con- tacts in the 15th century B.C.

buildings within built of smaller fraction blocks are all levelled up. Thick vegetation and sediment were cleared before exploring the submerged structures. The discovery of pillars, beam and bases of flagposts suggests the existence of a public building or temple and port installations. Two cultural periods have been distinguished in Dwaraka as well as Bet Dwaraka on the basis of ceramic, structural and stratigra- phic evidence. The Thermoluminiscence date of pottery of Period I is 3520 years Before Present (B.P.) and 1800-2000 years B.P. for Period II. After Dwaraka of Period I was submerged about 1500