The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is all set to begin excavation at Delhi’s Purana Qila again. The excavation will be led by Shri Vasant Swarnkar and would be the third season of excavation at Purana Qila after excavations in the year 2013-14 & 2017-18.
The objective of the latest excavation is the exposure and preservation of the trenches that were excavated in the previous years (2013-14 & 2017- 18). During the closure of the previous season’s excavation, evidence of layers predating the Mauryan period was found. During this season’s excavation, the focus would also be to accomplish the traces of Painted Grey Ware finding in a stratigraphical context. Identified as the ancient settlement of Indraprastha, a continuous habitation of 2500 years at Purana Qila was established in earlier excavations.
The findings and artifacts unearthed in earlier excavations comprise painted grey ware, belonging to 900 BC, an earthen pottery sequence from Maurya to Shunga, Kushana, Gupta, Rajput, Sultanates, and Mughal periods. Excavated Artefacts such as sickles, parers, terracotta toys, kiln-burnt bricks, beads, terracotta figurines, seals and dealings, etc. excavated earlier are now displayed at the Archaeological Museum inside the fort complex.
Purana Qilla, the 16th-century fort, was built by Sher Shah Suri and the second Mughal emperor Humayun. The fort is standing on a site with thousands of years of history. Padma Vibhushana Prof. BB Lal also carried out excavation works inside the fort and its premises in the years 1954 and 1969 -73.
**News Source: PIB India**