Open AccessDevelopment of Urbanization in the Mewar Region of Rajasthan, India in the Middle of Third Millennium BC
Author(s) -
Shweta Sinha Deshpande,
Vasant Shinde
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
ancient asia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2042-5937
DOI - 10.5334/aa.06110
Subject(s) - urbanization , indian subcontinent , geography , millennium development goals , chalcolithic , ancient history , archaeology , bronze age , history , poverty , economic growth , economics
The Indian Subcontinent witnessed its first urbanization in themiddle of the third millennium BC as a result of continued cultural development thatstarted around the beginning of seventh millennium BC at Mehragrh on the Kachi Plains.Extensive research in other parts of India, revealed the presence of contemporary earlyfarming cultures, with characteristic rural features. The recent archaeological evidencefrom Bagor, Balathal and Gilund (Mewar, Rajasthan) suggests independent origin of asettled life style around the middle of 4th millennium BC contemporary with thePre/Early Harappan cultures of western Indian subcontinent. These sites have brought tolight traces of infant urbanization or pro-urbanisation associated with the Ahar cultureof Mewar. Available evidence demonstrates the influence of Harappan urbanization onChalcolithic sites, though on a much smaller scale as a result of interactions and tradecontacts between the two by the middle of the 3rd millennium BC