Posted on 04/08/2008 2:29:43 PM PDT by blam
Artefacts reveal rich history of craftsmanship
Emran Hossain
Published On: 2008-04-07
Wari-Bateshwar Site
A few semi-precious stone beads with motifs found at the Wari-Bateshwar archaeological site recently. The findings indicate the spot was a rich trade centre. Photo: STAR
Archaeological studies on semi-precious stone beads and other artefacts found in Wari-Bateshwar indicate people of this land have a rich history of craftsmanship as old as around 2,500 years.
Plenty of semi-precious stone beads are found and unearthed from Wari-Bateshwar and some of those are even identical to the artefacts found in Southeast Asia and other parts in the Indian subcontinent. This suggests that the place was a rich trade centre, which was also one of the second earliest urbanisation sites in the subcontinent.
Archaeologists observe that abundance of beads as found over the years, their varieties, uniqueness of designs, and technical excellence in producing those subsequently lead to assume that the beads were produced locally and there was a rich production centre or industry there.
"It's not a matter of joke as production of beads of such qualities requires the finest technology, skill and excellence in aesthetic even today. The discovery of plenty more of beads during excavation ultimately substantiate craftsmanship of the people of this land 2,500 years ago," said Prof Sufi Mustafizur Rahman, who led the excavation team from the archaeology department at Jahangirnagar University (JU).
"The rate of the beads found in the area suggests that the place used to produce those and it was also a rich trade centre," Prof Rahman added.
Such is the opinion of Prof Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti, noted Indian archaeologist and head of south Asian archaeology, Cambridge University, who says in the book Ancient Bangladesh that Wari-Bateshwar is the Sounagora emporium described by Ptolemy in 2nd century AD.
"An extensive and long-term study and research is required to know about the beads in details," added Prof Rahman.
Habibullah Pathan, a self-taught local archaeologist, said: "Since childhood I saw beads in abundance here and there on occasions when someone was digging the earth or rainwater washed away surface earth.
"It seemed to me that this place was an export processing zone of beads," added Pathan, who has been securing artefacts of the place following his father since class eight.
The stone beads found in Wari-Bateshwar are of seven types -- Agate, Amethyst, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Quartz, Jasper and Garnet. Two to three verities could not be identified and more study is required to determine their identity.
The varieties of beads could not be numbered yet, but 20 varieties of etched beads bearing testimony of rich craftsmanship of the makers were found in Wari-Bateshwar.
Raw materials were not found in Bangladesh and must have been imported from abroad -- a fact further indicates the place had trade relations with other nations.
The beads are varied in shapes, some containing 24 triangles in a single small piece, while some others are shaped as round, square, pentagon, rectangular, hexagonal, flat, egg, orange, ring, angular, cylinder, barrel and half-round.
Besides discovering beads as finished products, excavation also unearthed raw materials, chips and flakes, which prompt archaeologists to assume that the beads were produced here.
Excavation also discovered different types of stones that seem to be the raw materials of the beads, chips and flakes, by-products from stone beads production, and imperforated stone beads, which seem to be unfinished products, indicating separate stages of production.
The archaeologists however could not confirm the technology used in producing the beads. They assume that the etched beads were designed through chemical process, while on the context of subcontinent the beads were most probably perforated using Diamond Tip.
As beads production was expensive and labour and time consuming, it seemed to be consumed only by local rich people, while the rest might have been exported.
The archaeologists explain that the structure of the beads, their balanced cuts, highly polished finishing and delicate perforation bear the testimony to an excellent production technology and makers' excellence in geometry, mathematics and aesthetics.
"Etched bead production till today requires touch from the most skilled craftsman and finest technology. The stunning matter is that the etched beads discovered so far are still in unimpaired and unique designs they were made of," said Prof Rahman.
The etched beads unearthed in Wari-Bateshwar are identical to the etched beads found from Early Historic archaeology sites in Thailand.
"The craftsmanship was so fine that we wonder how those were polished so neat with such delicate perforations. The present generation will be highly encouraged if they learn that our ancestors were once such skilled craftspeople," he added.
The bead production places found in other Early Historic India include Ujjanee, Baishali and Mahujari.
Beads were most probably used as ornaments, or as an amulet for protection from the evil. A number of amulets were found from Wari-Bateshwar in different designs. The stones used in making the beads had historical, cultural, and religious significance.
Except Wari-Bateshwar, existence of beads was also traced in other archaeological sites of Early Historic period like Mahastangarh of Bangladesh, Taxila of Pakistan, Rajghat and Chandraketugarh of India.
Discovery of beads and existence of production centre lead to the assumption that urbanisation took place at this place, according to archaeologists.
The archaeologists say craft is practised only when there is availability of surplus food, a precondition for urbanisation flourishing. When there is surplus food, class is created in the society. Some people leave cultivation, while some others begin undertaking different means of professions like art and crafts.
A Ghosh in The City of Early Historic India says surplus food is produced in the land and the surplus food plays vital role in building the urbanisation.
According to Dilip Kumar, only trade can be considered as the mere indication of urbanisation. The subcontinent had trade relations with mid-Asia, Southeast Asia, and China.
Raymond and Bridget Allchin in the book Origin of Civilization says the lands became cultivable as ratio of raining increased during the period dating back to 600 BC to 500 BC.
According to Raymond and Bridget Allchin, in the centuries before Christ atmosphere at the Ganges valley in the subcontinent was in favour of urbanisation.
Artefacts found during excavation include stone beads, silver punch-marked coins, Roulletted and Knobbed Wear, silver punch-marked coins of pre-Mauryan period, road, and recent discovery of a unique brick-built structure.
The characteristics for urbanisation set by V Gorden Child include existence of memorials in a place, existence of classes not related to food production and money-based economy, practice of art, literature and science, opportunities to diverse means of professions.
The other characteristics of urbanisation include boundary, road, house, shops, and artefacts.
The other places where urbanisation found to have been flourished in Early Historic period in Mahastangarh, Chandraketugarh and Ujjanee in India.
GGG Ping.
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