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Hakra Ware culture is a material culture which is contemporaneous with the early Harappan Ravi phase culture (3300–2800 BCE) of the Indus Valley. This culture arises in the 4th millenium with the first remnants of Hakra Ware pottery appearing near Jalilpur on the
Ravi River
The Ravi River () is a transboundary river crossing northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of five rivers associated with the Punjab region.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, the waters of the Ravi and two other rivers were ...
about southwest of
Harrappa
Harappa (; Urdu/ pnb, ) is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The Bronze Age Harappan civilisation, now more often called the Indus Valley Civilisation, is named after the site, which takes its name from a mod ...
in 1972.
Along with this, numerous other areas including Kunal, Bhirana, Girwas, Farmana and Rakhigarhi areas of Pakistan contained Hakra Ware pottery.
Hakra Ware pottery is characterized by handmade vessels and involves the use of mud-applique pottery and is distinguishable from the rest through the type of materials and surface treatment used. It also uses geometric, flora and fauna detailing in objects such as saucer shaped lids, handmade bowls, cups and jars. The Hakra Ware culture also made structures in the form of subterranean dwelling pits, cut into the natural soil. The walls and floor of these pits were plastered with the yellowish alluvium of the Hakra valley.
Origin of the name ‘Hakra Ware’ culture
The term ‘Hakra Ware’ is derived from the geographical and functional aspects of the culture. ‘Hakra’ is named after the paleochannel of the
Ghaggar-Hakra river
The Ghaggar-Hakra River is an intermittent river in India and Pakistan that flows only during the monsoon season. The river is known as Ghaggar in India, before the Ottu barrage, and as the Hakra in Pakistan, downstream of the barrage, ending ...
that flows through India and Pakistan connecting both countries.
This river flows close to the Cholistan area in Pakistan which is the location of the earliest dated Hakra Ware culture.
The term ‘Ware’ in archaeological terms means pottery, referring to the clay pottery produced by this culture. Hence the name ‘Hakra Ware’.
Regions
Hakra Ware culture sits in the fourth millennium B.C. or 6,000 years before the present.
It was found along the
Ghaggar-Hakra river
The Ghaggar-Hakra River is an intermittent river in India and Pakistan that flows only during the monsoon season. The river is known as Ghaggar in India, before the Ottu barrage, and as the Hakra in Pakistan, downstream of the barrage, ending ...
, which is a continuation of Saraswati-Ghaggar river, with the earliest remnants of Hakra Ware confirmed to be at Cholistan during the series of excavations at Kunal, Bhirana, Girwas, Farmana, Rakhigarhi and Cholistan area of India.
In Cholistan areas, mud flats with fossilized sand dunes was a commonality where the pottery was found.
More recent explorations carried out during the early 2000s have found some Hakra Ware sites in Pakistani Punjab beyond the Cholistan areas, extending to the Faisalabad area in the central section of the Ravi-Chenab doab and therefore calls for more research to be conducted.
Features
Hakra Ware produced wide shouldered, globular shaped pottery with thick and under fired surfaces, that are either handmade or wheel made.
The handmade pottery is generally thick and uneven with shades of red and light grey with a flat base.
Whilst wheel made pottery the body is generally thin with a red to light-red shade. The distinctive features lie mainly in the materials and surface treatment of such pottery.
Surface treatment of Hakra Ware was an extensive range that included some painted with black paint, pottery buffed, multiple incised lines, chocolate coloured with wavy lines, dull red with incised lines, red coloured with wavy black outlines and white filing.
Another few surface treatments used through Hakra Ware culture is the application of a particular mixture and use of black burnish. The mixture applied on the surface of the pottery consisted of a thick layer of a liquid mud paste and broken bits of pottery shards.
While black burnish is used in 2 forms. One is glossy and black in colour generally applied to the surface of some pottery pieces. Whilst the other polish is generally applied on larger pottery and is non-glossy and black in colour.
Excavation Process
The process of evacuation can be rendered to 7 main steps for an effective discovery. The first step involves a survey of the exact areas that need to be marked and dug up which is followed up by creating a layout and expected digging trenches are marked. The next process would involve excavation through the Wheeler-Kenyon method. This method requires the targeted area to be divided into grids that measure 10m by 10m and each grid is then divided further into 4 equal divisions.
Then the trained excavators manually dig the assigned areas. While these excavators dig, the procedure involves meticulous process in the aim of uncovering the soil layer by layer. Once each layer is exposed it is then recorded to further understand the chronological time frame of the Hakra Ware cultures with relation to habitation, lifestyle and settlement.
Whilst digging, artefacts that are discovered would be taken out of the soil and the surrounding soil will be sieved to make sure smaller artefacts are not missed, additionally the sieved soil will also be manually checked to ensure a thorough process. Once the pottery is uncovered it is washed and placed in a ward to be labeled.
Discoveries and Regional differences in Hakra Ware
From a series of excavation surrounding the Indus Valley regional differences in the pottery and additional tools were found.
Kunal
This region is situated on the left bank of the
river Saraswati which contained incised and mud-applique handmade pottery in black, white and red ware. Incised designs that were frequently found within Kunal were diamond-shaped cross-crosses and horned deities.
Most of the pottery found was handmade with a few exceptions to wheel-made pottery.
Some other discoveries were micro blades of chalcedony and bone tools.
Bhirrana
Situated in the Fatehabad district of
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...
in the Ghaggar valley, Bhiranna has a distinct Early-Harrapan level that displays Hakra Ware culture.
Most of the pottery included the expected repertoire of Mud Applique, incisions, Tan/Chocolate
slipped ware, however were accompanied by Black Burnish, Brown, Red and black and white painting.
On the pottery painted black and white, there were motifs of
Peepal leaves which gained popularity later into Mature Harappan.
Farmana
This region is located at Rohtak district of
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...
the
Ghaggar basin. In relation to Hakra Wares, most found had mud appliqué, incisions, plain ands painted red wares.
Recurring shapes found were vases, bowls, globular pots with handles, cups and storage jars that were rarely discovered.
Other than pottery, disc beads of steatite, terracotta beads and shell bangles were found, acting as an indication to the gradual transformation from Hakra to Mature Harappan.
Girwad
Located in the Rohtak District of
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...
, Girawad has the presence of both handmade and wheel-made Hakra Ware pottery. This included features of mud applique, incisions, black, brown and red
slip
Slip or SLIP may refer to:
Science and technology Biology
* Slip (fish), also known as Black Sole
* Slip (horticulture), a small cutting of a plant as a specimen or for grafting
* Muscle slip, a branching of a muscle, in anatomy
Computing and ...
.
Unlike Faramana region very few black and white pottery were discovered. Other discoveries amongst the Hakra Ware, were terracotta and steatite beads and bangle fragments, similar to the ones found in the Farmana regions.
Additional discoveries included, copper rods, gold objects, copper fish-hooks and arrowheads.
Rakhigari
Termed as the largest Harappan site, Rakhigari is located on the river bed of
Drisadvati River in the Hisar district of
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...
.
The pottery recovered from this region contained Hakra Mud Applique and incisions.
All pottery recovered had the characteristic bulbous body specific to Hakra Wares.
Similar to other regions, steatite beads and bone tools were also recovered as well.
Settlements
Recent excavations in the regions of Kunal,
Cholsitan and
Bhirrana
Bhirrana, also Bhirdana and Birhana, (Hindi: भिरड़ाना; IAST: Bhirḍāna) is an archaeological site, located in a small village in Fatehabad District, in the Indian state of Haryana. Bhirrana's earliest archaeological layers pr ...
has revealed many things in regards to the lifestyle of the people practicing Hakra Ware culture.
During excavations of Hakra Ware between Pakistan and India, many objects that were unearthed have revealed that Hakra Ware people originated from
Cholistan
The Cholistan Desert ( ur, ; Punjabi: ), also locally known as Rohi (), is a desert in the southern part of Punjab, Pakistan that forms part of the Greater Thar Desert, which extends to Sindh province and the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is on ...
region and slowly spread out towards Kunal and hence the result of Hakra Ware to be found in several places such as
Bhirana, Girwas,
Farmana
Farmana Khas or Daksh Khera is an archaeological site in Meham block of Rohtak district in northern Indian state of Haryana spread over 18.5 hectares. It is located near the village of Farmana Khas, about 15 kilometers from the Rohtak ...
,
Rakhigarhi
Rakhigarhi or Rakhi Garhi is a village and an archaeological site belonging to the Indus Valley civilisation in Hisar District of the northern Indian state of Haryana, situated about 150 km northwest of Delhi. It was part of the mature ph ...
A prospective theory that was reported is the possibility that Hakra Ware people came to Kunal with the intention of new settlement and many findings have supported this evidence along with the fact that there has been a stable and continuous settlement for several years.
Along with geographical movements from the Hakra Ware people, excavators at several Hakra Ware excavations were able to decipher the occupations and skillset of the people practicing this culture through the pottery that was produced.
It was further concluded that people practicing Hakra Ware were most probably “good artisans” who were skilled and resourceful with their use of various raw materials.
Along with the usage of mud, sherds from scraps and usage of bone tools to carve incised lines, people were able to produce other items such as beads and bangles that aided with trade.
Another significant discovery from excavations especially
Bhirrana
Bhirrana, also Bhirdana and Birhana, (Hindi: भिरड़ाना; IAST: Bhirḍāna) is an archaeological site, located in a small village in Fatehabad District, in the Indian state of Haryana. Bhirrana's earliest archaeological layers pr ...
is the continuous presence of circular pits dug in the soil. Such pits were able to provide information about living environments as most of their lifestyle surrounded these pits as they were used for cooking, industrial activities such as melting copper, and religious purposes.
Moving forward a few years into the
Harrappan period, when Hakra Ware flourished, people started migrating out of dwelling pits and built houses made of sun-baked bricks
Later, during the mature
Harappan period, the settlement progressed into a city layout. The dietary behaviors were also found through the excavations of Hakra Ware and was found that people were likely to be both herbivores and carnivores.
This conclusion was derived from the discovery of bones of small and big animals and grains. The more superficial the soil layers became the larger the bones of animals became and therefore it was concluded that populations practicing Hakra Ware culture consuming largely small animals such as birds and rabbits. The evidence of charred bones indicated that the mode of consumption was through roasting.
Proposed Chronology of Hakra Ware culture
The proposed time period for the existence of Hakra Ware was 3500 B.C. - 3100/3000 B.C as the period following it (Kot Dijit), was dated as 3370 B.C. - 2900 B.C.
However after dating the materials used in the Hakra Ware artefacts found in Bhiranna, this was shortly refuted and was proposed to exist in an earlier time period.
From the findings at Bhiranna, a timeline was compiled to help visualise where Hakra Ware culture sat amongst the rest of the periods that occurred. The 2 periods before Hakra Ware were Period 1 (Neolithic) that existed during 7500-6000 BCE and Period IIA (Transitional Period) thats exited during 6000-4500.
Then Period IIB (Early-Harappan) spanned across 3300-2800 BCE which is then preceded by Period III (Mature-Harappan) followed by Period IV (Late-Harappan). These periods were present from 3000-1900 BCE and 1900-1600 BCE respectively.
See also
*
Periodisation of the Indus Valley Civilisation
*
Rakhigarhi
Rakhigarhi or Rakhi Garhi is a village and an archaeological site belonging to the Indus Valley civilisation in Hisar District of the northern Indian state of Haryana, situated about 150 km northwest of Delhi. It was part of the mature ph ...
References
Sources
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Indus Valley civilisation