Eternal India Encyclopedia

ARCHAEOLOGY

Eternal India encyclopedia

marine transgression drowned a pre-existing desert landscape between 6000 and 7000 B.P. isolating Bahrain from the mainland. The earliest evidence for this transgression is found in the higher beach features at Ras Hayyan. In relative terms, however, they (Doomkamp and his colleagues) described the inundation of the coastal plain about 6500 years ago to a point now recognized by coastal landform at 5 m elevation. At this time several islands were present along the southwest coast of Bahrain. A relative fall in sea level occurred after this and was followed by a period of resubmergence between 3000 and 5000 BP. These archaeological data, as well as the elevation of the deposits agree with the calibrated Radio Carbon dates and landforms from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the southwest coast of Bahrain”. Similar transgres- sions and regression in the Holocene can be postulated in the Gulf of Kutch resulting in the submergence of Dwaraka, Bet Dwaraka, Pindara and other stations. The regression in the beginning of the 2nd millennium B.C. must have brought back the population that had left after the first transgression. This is clearly reflected in the epic which says that Kusasthali was founded by Raivata, a Yadava ancestor of Sri Krishna and that it was destroyed. After its destruction Dwaraka was built when the sea yielded 12 yojanas of land, which is a reference to the regression of the sea. The second transgression, which submerged Dwaraka and Shankhodhara (Bet Dwaraka) Mahabharata period (1500 B.C.) seems to be of longer duration and greater intensity, as indicated by the absence of sites of 1000-300 B.C. on the coastal belt of Okha-Dwaraka. The sea receded once again and townships sprang up on the coast in the 3rd

century B.C. The submergence of a Buddhist settlement in the Elephanta island off Bombay is an indication of the rise in the sea level or subsidence of land in the early historical period. Similar transgression is noticeable in the early centuries of the Christian era at Kaveripatnam, Kalingapatnam and Nagapatnam on the east coast. The MAC undertook underwater exploration of Somnath — Prabhas on the southwest coast of Saurashtra in 1991-92 and found several massive dressed, semispherical dressed stone ob- jects with large holes in 5 to 7m water depth of the sea. The date of those objects and other large building blocks of stone is yet to be ascertained. Another season of underwater exploration in Dwar- aka-Somnath will clinch the issue — whether sea level rise or sub- sidence of land was responsible for the submergence of Dwaraka and Somnath simultaneously or in different periods. Other sites under exploration by the MAC are Tranquebar and Poompuhar (Kavaeripatnam) on the Tamil Nadu coast. Poompuhar was a 3rd century B.C. port of early Chola period at the mouth of the river Kaveri and its submergence by the sea is referred to in the Tamil texts Silappadikaram and Pattinappalai. Exploration by the MAC during 1987-88 and 1990-92 brought to light brick structures of 1st to 5th cent A.D. in 3 to 5m in water depth and a wreck of a large ship of 18th century in 19 m depth. Some of the lead ingots carried by the vessel have been recovered. The visibility in 5m depth being poor brick structures have not been photographed. ii) any article, object or thing detached from a building or cave; iii) any article, object or thing illustrative to science, art, crafts, literature, religion, customs, morals or politics in bygone ages; iv) any article, object or thing declared by the Central Govern- ment, by notification in the Official Gazette, to be an antiquite for the purposes of the Act, which has been in existence for not less than one hundred years; and Regulation of export trade in antiguities and art treas- ures It shall not be lawful for any person, other than the Central Government or any authority or agency authorized by the Central Government in this behalf, to export any antiquity or art treasure. Grant of licence 1) On receipt of an application for the grant of a licence under section 7, the licensing officer may, after holding such inquiry as he deems fit, grant a licence to the applicant having regard to the following factors namely : a) the experience of the applicant with respect to trade in antiqui- ties; b) the village, town or city where the applicant intends to carry on business; (Dr. S.R.R.)

The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972

(Act No. 52 of 1972)

(As modified upto April 1, 1975)

Salient Points

Act enacted having regard to the following factors, namely :

i) the necessity for conserving the objects of art; ii) the need to preserve such objects within India for the better appreciation of the cultural heritage of India; iii) such other factors as will, or are likely to, contribute to the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of India. Every person who owns, controls or is in possession of any antiq- uity specified in the notification issued under sub-section 1 shall register such antiquity before the registering officer — a) in the case of a person who owns, controls or possesses such antiquity on the date of issue of such notification, within three months of such date; and b) in the case of any other person, with fifteen days of the date on which he comes into ownership, control or possessions of such antiquity, and obtain a certificate in token of such registration.

Extent: the whole of India.

Definitions ; 'antiquity' includes i) any coin, sculpture, painting, epigraph or other work of art or craftsmanship;