Definition: Padri Gohilni is a Harappan site in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, Pakistan, about 2 kilometers west of the modern village of Padri. The site has evidence of continuous occupation from Early Harappan to the Early Historic period, and probably dates between ca 3500-2020 BC. The early Harappan [3500-3000 BC] and is of the primary importance, because of its complexity at such an early date.
The site includes a large Early Harappan complex of mud-brick architecture, with nine rectangular rooms, including a public granary and specialized craft workshops. Three circular stone platforms, possibly meant as bases for storage granaries, were found inside the complex. Research Visant Shinde believes this structure dedicated to public and community activities reflects evidence of an early flourishing of administrative functions seen in later Mature Harappan sites such as Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
Specialized workshops identified within the early Harappan complex include coppersmithing and blade tool manufacture. Copper artifacts discovered include fish hoooks with barbed points.
Padri was excavated in the 1990s under the direction of Visant Shinde of Deccan College.
The site includes a large Early Harappan complex of mud-brick architecture, with nine rectangular rooms, including a public granary and specialized craft workshops. Three circular stone platforms, possibly meant as bases for storage granaries, were found inside the complex. Research Visant Shinde believes this structure dedicated to public and community activities reflects evidence of an early flourishing of administrative functions seen in later Mature Harappan sites such as Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
Specialized workshops identified within the early Harappan complex include coppersmithing and blade tool manufacture. Copper artifacts discovered include fish hoooks with barbed points.
Padri was excavated in the 1990s under the direction of Visant Shinde of Deccan College.
Source
Gaur, A. S. and K. H. Vora. 1999. Ancient shorelines of Gujarat, India, during the Indus civilization (Late Mid-Holocene): A study based on archaeological evidences. Current Science 77(1):180-185.
Shinde, Visant. 2006. Padri: The early Harappan site in Gujarat. pp. 150-158 in Early Harappans and Indus-Sarasvati Civilization, volume 1. Edited by D.P. Sharma and Madhuri Sharma. Kaveri Books, New Delhi.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
