Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 5 (ANI): In a significant archaeological development, scientists from Gujarat have claimed the discovery of evidence indicating human habitation in Kachchh as far back as 9,000 to 9,500 years ago. This groundbreaking finding is the result of a collaborative effort by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT-GN), IIT Kanpur, the Inter University Accelerator Centre (Delhi), and the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad.
Associate Professor VN Prabhakar of IIT Gandhinagar’s Department of Earth Sciences said the team discovered numerous broken shells in Bambhanka, a site located approximately 10 kilometers from Dholavira, a well-known Harappan site. “One of our colleagues found many broken shells in Bambhanka. When I joined IIT in 2020, he showed me the findings. I immediately identified them as shell middens — where shells broken by humans are collected in one place,” he explained.
Shell middens, or shell scatters, are considered strong archaeological indicators of early human activity, particularly among hunter-gatherer communities. “We also found stone tools — composite tools — which were likely used by early humans. So far, we’ve identified shell middens in at least 15 to 16 locations in the area. We dated around 10 samples, placing them between 7,500 BC and 4,000 BC,” Prabhakar added.
According to the researchers, this timeline places the Kachchh findings well before the emergence of the Harappan Civilization, suggesting that the region supported thriving hunter-gatherer communities during the pre-Neolithic era. “These people had a comprehensive understanding of their environment,” said Prabhakar, underlining the significance of the findings in piecing together early human adaptation strategies.
The ongoing study is funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and forms part of a broader initiative to explore ancient human activity in the Kachchh mainland and surrounding islands.
Meanwhile, in a parallel effort to preserve India’s rich cultural and environmental legacy, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in collaboration with the World Monuments Fund India (WMFI) and the TCS Foundation, has completed the conservation of Rajon ki Baoli. This 16th-century stepwell, located in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, New Delhi, was restored as part of WMFI’s “Historic Water Systems of India” initiative.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the project aligns with the World Monuments Fund’s Climate Heritage Initiative, which advocates for the revival of traditional water systems as sustainable responses to climate change and modern water management challenges.
(ANI)
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