Gilund Modiya Magara Mound
Gilund Ahar-Banas Settlement · Modiya Magari Mound
Chalcolithic Ahar-Banas 3000–1700 BCE·Ahar-Banas Chalcolithic — Mewar Plain Banas Basin·🇮🇳 Rajasthan, Rajsamand District, Railmagra Tehsil, Gilund village on Banas Basin middle Mewar Plain between Aravalli and Deccan, 70 km NE of Udaipur, India
About
About Gilund Modiya Magara Mound
Gilund Modiya Magara Mound — largest Ahar-Banas Chalcolithic settlement (3000–1700 BCE) in Banas Basin, locally Modiya Magari (bald mound), 25×18 ha dual mound excavated 1959–60 by B.B. Lal and 1998–2005 by Possehl–Shinde (UoM-Deccan). Eastern and western mounds start contemporary, eastern continues later. Pre-Harappan to Early Historic sequence: Ahar White Painted Black-and-Red, Reserved Slip, copper objects, lithic blades, and terracotta figurines. Seal impressions (1999) hint Harappan contact. Wattle-and-daub houses, ash pits, and craft area show Mewar's largest Chalcolithic centre.
Why it mattersLargest Ahar-Banas site — dual mound phasing and Harappan seal impression key to Mewar-Harappan exchange
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Seal impression — Harappan trader or local imitation?
- 02Eastern mound late continuity reason
Theories
- 01Mewar Chalcolithic as Harappan parallel not derivative
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.3000 BCE Ahar Chalcolithic dual mound
- Period
- Chalcolithic Ahar-Banas 3000–1700 BCE
- Culture
- Ahar-Banas Chalcolithic — Mewar Plain Banas Basin
- Builders
- Ahar-Banas farmers and potters
- Purpose
- Largest agro-pastoral town controlling Banas alluvium and Ahar cultural core
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.3000 BCE
Dual mound Ahar foundation on Banas
1959–60
B.B. Lal trial trench reveals two mound phasing
1998–2005
Possehl–Shinde excavations find seal impression and kiln
On the ground
Structures & features
25.0327° N · 74.2637° E · 420 m · 3 mapped features
Eastern High Mound
mound12-m high eastern mound with later Ahar occupation and seal find
25.0332° N · 74.2640° EWestern Early Mound
moundWestern mound with early Ahar levels and ash pits contemporary
25.0320° N · 74.2630° ECentral Craft and Kiln Area
workshopPottery kiln and copper working floor between mounds
25.0327° N · 74.2635° E