A collaborative effort involving researchers from IIT Kharagpur, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Deccan College has uncovered signs of human settlement dating back to 800 BCE in Vadnagar, Gujarat. This village holds significance as the native place of India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
According to a statement from IIT Kharagpur, in-depth archaeological research in Vadnagar reveals the ebb and flow of various kingdoms over 3,000 years, marked by repeated invasions of India by Central Asian warriors propelled by significant climate changes.
The outcomes of this study are documented in a paper titled 'Climate, human settlement, and migration in South Asia from Early historic to mediaeval period: evidence from new archaeological excavation at Vadnagar, Western India,' published in the Elsevier journal 'Quaternary Science Reviews.'
While the excavation was led by ASI, the study was funded by the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums Government of Gujarat that is entrusted with building India's first experiential digital museum (experiential means the process of learning through experience) at Vadnagar. The research at Vadnagar and Indus Valley civilization has also been supported by funding from Sudha Murthy, former Chairperson, Infosys Foundation. Vadnagar has been a multi-cultural and multi-religious (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Islamic) settlement.
"Excavation in its several deep trenches revealed the presence of seven cultural stages (periods) namely, Mauryan, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian or Shaka-Kshatrapas, Hindu-Solankis, Sultanate-Mughal (Islamic) to Gaekwad-British colonial rule and the city is continuing even today. One of the oldest Buddhist monasteries has been discovered during our excavation,” said ASI archaeologist Abhijit Ambekar.