Ropar is a 21-meter-high ancient mound overlaying the
Shiwalik (also spelled as Sivalik or Shivalik) deposition on the left bank of the river
Sutlej where it merges into the plains. It has yielded a sequence of six cultural periods or phases with some breaks from the
Harappan times to the present day. The excavations were carried out by the
Archaeological Survey of India. The migration of the Harappans to Ropar has been
postulated through the lost
Saraswati River to the Sutlej as both rivers once belonged to one system.
Period I At Ropar excavation, the lowest levels yielded the
Harappan traits in Period 1, which falls in the
proto-historic period. A major find was a steatite seal in the Indus script used for the authentication of trading goods, impression of the seal on a
terracotta lump of burnt
clay, chert blades, copper implements, terracotta
beads, and
bangles and typically standardized pottery of
Indus Valley civilization. They flourished in all the Harappan cities and townships. The dead were buried with head generally to the north and with funerary vessels as unearthed in cemetery R-37 at Harappa (Sind, Pakistan). What led the Harappans to desert the site is not known.
Period II Period II belongs to Painted grey ware people who followed the Harappans. Typical pottery of this period consisted of fine grey ware painted black, terracotta bangles, semi-precious stones, glass, bone arrowheads, ivory kohl sticks, and copper implements. This period is identified as the period belonging to the Great War Epic -
Mahabharata. A new settlement sprang up here by about 600 BC - chronologically Period III at Rupar. Grey pottery of Period II still continued. This period belongs to circa 600 BC to 200 BC. It yielded the earlier coins (punch-marked and uninscribed cast coins), copper, and implements. An important find was an ivory seal inscribed in
Mauryan Brahmi script (4th and 3rd century BC) Minutely carved and polished stone discs with a figure and motif associated with the cult of the Mother goddess of fertility have also been unearthed in the excavations from
Taxila (now in
Pakistan),
Patna in the state of
Bihar and other Mauryan sites. Houses of mud and kiln burnt bricks were by no means rare. A 3.6-meter wide burnt brick wall traced to a length of about 75 m probably endorsed a tank that collected water through inlets. The upper levels have soak wells lined with terracotta rings of
Shunga and
Kushana periods.
Period III To V From Period III to V there are fairly rich dwelling complexes with houses of stone and mud bricks. The full plans of the houses could not be exposed owing to the vertical nature of excavations carried out.
Period VI In the next phase, Period VI revealed the evidence of the
Shungas,
Kushanas, and
Guptas and their successors. Excavations also revealed successive building levels of various dynasties. In the upper levels, a hoard of copper coins of Kushan and Gupta rules were found. This includes a gold coin issued by
Chandragupta-Kumerdevi of the
Gupta dynasty, which is also known as the golden age in ancient Indian history. A large number of terracotta figurines of Shunga, Kushana, and Gupta periods were also discovered. Amongst them were a Yakshi figure with cherubic expression and a beautiful seated figure of a lady playing on the lyre reminiscent of
Samudragupta’s figure in a similar position on the famous gold coins of the Gupta dynasty. A set of three silver utensils for ritualistic purposes with Greek influence depicts the fine craftsmanship of the Gupta dynasty in its chased decoration. The pottery of this period in the upper levels is for the most part redware and is frequently decorated with incised motifs. After a short break, there is evidence of a fresh occupation identified as Period V commencing around the early 6th century and continuing for three or four centuries. The coins of Toramana (circa AD 500) and Mihirakula (circa 510-40) have been recovered from these levels. The spacious brick building of the fifth period was constricted neatly and evidence showed a good measure of prosperity during this period. Probably after desertion, a new town sprang up here around 13th century AD on the same site named
Period VI and it continues to flourish to the present day. An archaeological site museum has been set up to house some of the antiquities of Rupar along with the photographs displaying excavation material. --> == Location ==