| Geographical range | South Asia (Gujarat) |
|---|---|
| Period | Chalcolithic |
| Dates | c. 3950 BCE to 1900 BCE |
| Major sites | Loteshwar, Datrana |
| Preceded by | possibly Mesolithic peoples |
| Followed by | Harappan Civilization |
| Defined by | P. Ajithprasad and V. H. Sonawane |
| History of Gujarat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stone Age(before 4000 BCE)
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Chalcolithic to Bronze Age(4000–1300 BCE)
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Iron Age(1500–300 BCE)
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Classical period(380 BCE – 1299 CE)
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Medieval and early modern periods(1299–1819)
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Colonial period(1819–1961)
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Post-independence(1947–)
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TheAnarta tradition orAnarta ware is aChalcolithicculture tentatively dated between c. 3950 BCE to 1900 BCE based on radio carbon dates fromLoteshwar andGola Dhoro.[1] The sites associated with it are located inGujarat, India.
During the earlier excavations atSurkotada, the ceramics of this culture were described as the coarse red or gray "local" ware. P. Ajitprasad and V. H. Sonawane described these non-Harappan ceramics from north Gujarat as the "Anarta ware".Anarta is a historical name of north Gujarat. The name later applied retrospectively to this type of ceramics found from other sites.[2]
The core area of Anarta tradition is located innorth Gujarat having 67 sites while four sites are reported fromKutch and three sites fromSaurashtra regions. ThePadri Ware[3] is not very different from the Anarta tradition. So if it is considered as the Anarta tradition, its ten sites in Saurashtra can be added to the Anarta tradition.[1][2][4]
The ceramics similar to the Anarta tradition was first reported fromSurkotada with Classical Harappan (IA, IB and IC periods) ceramics. WhenNagwada inSurendranagar district was excavated, this distinctive regional type of ceramics were first recognized where it was associated with Pre-Urban and Urban Harappan artifacts. The Anarta tradition was recognized as an independent culture whenLoteshwar inPatan district was excavated in 1991-92. These ceramics are also associated with Pre-Urban Harappan Sindh Type Pottery/Burial pottery (Amri Nal type) found atMotipipli andDatrana and with Pre-Prabhas pottery at Datrana. These ceramics are also compared and found similar to thePadri Ware. These ceramics are also found in the association of the Classical Harappan and Sorath Harappan elements atGola Dhoro (Bagasara) in Saurashtra andShikarpur in Kutch. These ceramics are also foundRangpur IIC period. They are not found associated with Post-Urban Harrapan artefacts at any sites.[1][2][5] Other sites arePanchasar, Santhli,Lothal, Zekhada,Rojdi and possiblyDesalpur.[2] These sites are concentrated inPatan,Mehsana andBanaskantha districts in north Gujarat.[4] These sites in north Gujarat are located in sand dunes which may have provided fresh water from its interdunal depressions and pastures for animals. These people may have originated from the early Mesolithic people settled here.[4] The lived alongside other "aboriginal" hunter-gatherer people.[6]
The Anarta ceramics include gritty red ware, fine red ware, burnished red ware and burnished grey/black wares. The pottery from this tradition are hand or slow wheel made and are coarse and well-fired. The vessel forms include straight or convex sided bowls with incurved rims; basins with thick flaring rim; pots or jars with flaring rim, narrow neck and bulging body. These vessels are treated with red slip with paintings in red, black and white.[1][2][7]
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