Excavations at Bhirrana 2003-06

 Nandini Bhattacharya-Sahu

The village of Bhirrana (Lat29033’ N; Long 75033’ E) is situated in the Fatehabad District of Haryana, about 220km North
West of New Delhi. The Harappan mound is situated in the northern outskirts of the village, overlooking the now dried
up river Saraswati. The mound measuring 150m north- south and 190m east- west rises to a height of about 5.50mts
from the surrounding area of flat alluvial “sottar” plains. Presently under the protection of Department of Archaeology
and Museum, Government of Haryana, a part of the mound was extensively razed for agricultural activities and another
served as a graveyard during the pre independence era (Pl I).

The site was taken up for excavation for three consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2006 by the Excavation Branch I,
Nagpur of the Archaeological Survey of India under the direction of Late Shri L S Rao.

The story of Bhirrana begins in the Period IA when people occupied the central and western sides of the mound. They
dug pits into the natural soil. (Pl II) These pits had mud plastered walls and floors and were without any post holes. The
people used pottery albeit with few regional variations, similar to the types reported by M R Mughal from Cholistan
(Pakistan) and popularly known as Hakra Wares. The repertoire from Bhirrana has been similarly referred to based upon
identical lines. The ‘dwelling pits’, were shallow, varying from 34 to 58cm in depth with diameter varying from 230 to
240 cm. A chunk of reed- impressed earth found in one of the pits, speaks of a superstructure of wattle and daub. The
pits were of different functional uses, comprising sacrificial, cooking, and industrial, apart from residential. Dwelling pits
were also found from the stratigraphical context in four trenches in the main mound. In one of the trenches, a roughly
circular mud plastered platform and a single mouthed hearth was exposed beside a dwelling pit, suggesting thereby that
cooking was probably done outside the Dwelling Pit.(Pl III). The pottery repertoire of this period comprised the typical
Hakra Wares pottery, viz. i) mud appliqué ware,(Pl IV), ii)tan slipped ware/chocolate slipped ware, iii) incised ware ( light
and deep incised, Pl V), iv) black burnished ware, v)brown on buff ware, vi) bichrome ware, vii) black on red ware and
viii) red ware. Paintings were found executed on various wares as i) brown on buff ware, comprising geometric patterns
ii) black outlined and white filled figures depicting faunal and floral motifs, the peepal leaf also being one of these on
the Bichrome ware ii) black on red, showing essentially geometric motifs. Antiquities of this period comprised beads of
semiprecious stones, sling balls of terracotta and sandstone, unbaked triangular cake, (Pl VI), sandstone quern and
muller, crucible, hopscotch on potsherds, single piece of chert blade and bone point, micro beads of steatite, solitary
micro bead of lapis lazuli and bangle and arrowhead of copper.

The next period of occupation witnessed a change in the scenario and the period IB, viz. the Early Harappan Period at
the site was ushered in. (Pl VII)New pottery types were introduced and now alongside the earlier pottery, the typical
Kalibangan fabrics were also used. (Pl IX) The significant change in the repertoire was the discontinuance of wares such
as the deep incised, black burnished and the mud appliqué. The structures in this period were made of mud brick with
typical Early Harappan sizes in the ratio of 1:2:3. (Pl VIII).The entire site got occupied in this period without, however,
the concept of any fortification. Antiquarian remains from this period comprise a button seal made of shell; arrowheads,
rings, bangles made of copper; hair pins and points of bone; beads of carnelian, jasper, steatite, shell and terracotta;
figurines, rattles, gamesman, marbles, sling balls and bangles made in terracotta and sandstone pounders and mullers.
Human figurines in clay and terracotta, from this Period, call for our special attention. Among these was a bald figurine,
in terracotta, with owl like beaked nose having a single breast; the clay figurines, which were in fragments, shared
stylistic features with the Kulli female figurines.
It was now time for the denizens of Bhirrana to witness the Period IIA or the Early Mature Harappan time. The entire
settlement, which had by now also grown in size, was now fortified and the concept of twin mounds arose. The people
continued their sojourn of structural innovations and began to live overground in rectangular houses. These were built
of mud bricks, still adhering to the Early Harappan ratio of 1:2:3 and new ratio of 1:2:4 which became the standard ratio
of the Mature Harappan period all over the Subcontinent. (Pl X). The houses, which were now better planned and had
streets and lanes in between, occasionally had paved floors. Few rectangular mud brick platforms with circular fire pits
and hearths were also unearthed. New shapes were added to the already existing pottery assemblage. The new shapes
comprised mainly the typical Mature Harappan types like dish-on-stands and button based goblets. Poorly imitated
variety of Reserved Slip Ware also marks its presence, which might have been used as a novelty. The antiquities included
one cache of 3461 beads from the surface and two caches of semi precious stone beads and copper ornaments from the
stratified deposits. (Pl XI). The other antiqurian finds comprised beads of carnelian, agate, faience, jasper, lapis lazuli,
shell, steatite, and terracotta; fish hooks, kohl sticks, chisel, arrowheads of copper; bangles of shell and terracotta;
blades of chert; balls, marbles, net sinkers and a toy cot made of terracotta.

The settlement of Bhirrana now entered the last fold of its story, viz. the Mature Harappan phase or Period IIB at the
site. It was now a completely mature stage of Harappan Culture. The entire settlement was reorganized according to the
additional demands of space by the populace. (Pl XII). The mud bricks used in this period conformed to the Mature
Harappan ratio of 1:2:4. All the houses had bricks arranged in typical Harappan type of bonding (or the “English bond” in
contemporary parlance).the houses were spacious and comprised three to four room, often with separate provisions for
rooms with tandoors and hearths. These mud brick houses had occasional use of baked bricks in the bathrooms. People
kept their grains in huge underground silos floored with de carbonised husks for protection against pests. The ceramics
included all the classical Mature Harappan types like red wares, red slipped wares, chocolate slipped wares, painted
black on red ware depicting motifs like peepal, neem, palm, banana leaves, rosettes and variety of faunal motifs,
including story telling motifs. The Early Harappan grey ware (Fabric F of Kalibangan) and internally deep incised ware
(Fabric D of Kalibangan) continue in this period. The shapes included all the regular Mature Harappan varieties like S
Shaped jar, button based goblets, basins, dish- on- stand, chalices, beakers, jars, dishes, handles, knobbed lids,
perforated jars. Among the important antiquarian remains of this period were two copper celts, bearing few characters
of Harappan script etched on them; stylized representation of bull/buffalo head with prominent horns, in terracotta; line
engraving of the famous bronze dancing girl on a potsherd; wheels made in terracotta showing hub and spokes in
painting and by ridges(Pl XIII); a mythical creature having one head and three bodies, in terracotta and terracotta tiles
showing the intersecting circle motif. Apart from these, regular Harappan artefacts like seals (including one in black
steatite- which did not have the usual legend in the Harappan script, Pl XIV); terracotta figurines, which included an
ithyphallus, bangles, beads and toys; beads made of semiprecious stones; points and awls made on bone; pestles,
mullers, sling balls, marbles, blades and weights on stone; arrowheads, fishhooks, rods, chisels, kohl sticks, bangles on
copper.

Thus the story of Harappan Bhirrana ends with this period, again to restart sometimes in the contemporary history. The
findings from Bhirrana are pointers to the direction which would lead us to redefining various aspects of India’s glorious
past and to add many definitions to Indian Archaeology.

Acknowledgement

The author is indebted to Late Sri. L. S. Rao, who directed the excavation and sincerely thanks the members of the
excavation team, the photographs are the copyright of the Archaeological Survey of India.
 Pl. I: General View of Mound

Pl. II: The Excavated Dwelling Pit Complex

Pl. III: Close-up of a rammed floor with hearth

Pl. IV: Mud Appliqué Ware Pl. V: Deep Incised Ware

Pl. VI: Clay Cakes

Pl. VII: Excavated Trenches

Pl. VIII: Structures of Period IB

Pl.IX: Bichrome Ware

Pl. X: Structures of the Early Mature Harappan Period

 Pl. XI: Cache of Beads

Pl. XII: Fortification Wall

Pl. XIII: Painted spokes on Toy Wheels

Pl. XIV: Seals