Artefacts of pre-Muaryan times discovered at Jajmau

In a significant discovery, artefacts dating back to pre-Mauryan times have been excavated at an archaeological site at Jajmau, nearly 80 kms from here.

A coin-hoard comprising hundreds of silver punch marked coins in a vase with a lustrous polish and dated back to over 2,300 years, a baked terracotta dabber bearing Brahmi inscription of circa 3rd -2nd centry BC and structures made of mud and baked bricks of Mauryan and pre Mauryan times have been found during excavation, officials said.
   
The archaeological excavation is being carried out at a portion of an ancient mound of Jajmau by the Directorate of UP State Archaeology (SAD) for the last four years.

The mound is located on the right bank of the Ganga in the eastern part of Kanpur city which connects it with Lucknow.
   
The site is dated back to 600-700 BC. "The new evidence revealed during the present excavations have pushed back this date to circa 1200-1300 BC," they said.

The ancient site of Jajmau has been associated with the city 'Yayati Nagari' founded by legendary king 'Yayati'.
   
During the construction of the national highway and Jajamu-bridge in 1956, remains of an ancient settlement were discovered here.

Subsequently, it was subjected to archaeological excavations to assess its historical significance by the Archaeological Survey of India and UP State Archaeology Department in 1956-58 and 1973-78.

A Brahmi inscrption found on a seal here during 1977-78 was deciphered as VASALAS.
          
An expert from the directorate of archaeology, Girish Chandra Singh, has identified it with an epithet of King Chandragupta Maurya.

Copper hoard artefacts and Painted Grey Ware (PGW) sherds were also found from the surface of this mound, after which the Uttar Pradesh government declared it as a state protected ancient site.
          
During widening of the national national highway, a salvage operation was launched in 2006 to document and study the arehaeological remains embedded within a portion of the mound by a team of archaeologists lead by Ram Vinay under the direction of SAD director Rakesh Tewari.

Presence of PGW, and Black and Red Ware (below the PGW) in this deposit is very significant from archaeological point of view, the officials said.

Radiocarbon dates by Birbal Sahni Insitute of Palaeobotany for the charcoal samples collected from this deposit, cultural material and stratigraphy suggest that this part of the mound was settled from about 1200-1300 BC.
          
The hoard of silver punch marked coins in a beautiful NBPW vase was also embadded in the portion edging the Ganga.
          
The coins bear punched symbols of sun, crescent (half moon), tree with in a vedika and hill.
          
An inscribed terracotta dabber has also been discovered from the exacavation site.

"The name inscribed on it in Brahmi characters has been deciphered as "bha' 'di''ke' (Bhadrike). Below that is inscribed a single letter 'ma' in dots. Presence of a name on the dabber apparently shows that it belonged to the kumbhakara bhadraka and that even the common people knew reading and writing during those days," the officials said.
   
The structures built at ancient Jajmau and associated finds indicate towards a major administrative centre and city at this place during the Mauryan times.

The remains found in the layers deposited above these structures attest that the glory of this settlement remained during the Sunga and Kushan periods (circa 200 BC to 300 AD).

Some of the terracotta seals bear the depiction of stupa, snake and lotus flower along with inscribed Buddhist creed "ya dharme prabhavah hetu".
       
Pointed bone arrow-heads, beads of terracotta and semiprecious stones, bangles made of glass and terracotta, seals and sealings, toys metal objects, different types of pottery, vessels and lids made of soap stone, terracotta discs, gamesmen and other artifacts of different periods have been recovered during the excavations.