Haryana Archaeology and Museums Department, in collaboration with the Indian Archaeological Society and National Museum, New Delhi will undertake archaeological excavation at Kunal in district Fatehabad.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed between Haryana Archaeology and Museums Department and Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi in the presence of Archaeology and Museums Minister, Ram Bilas Sharma here. Speaking on this occasion, Ram Bilas Sharma said that the excavations were aimed at bringing out the earliest material culture of the site.
He said that Kunal being one of the earliest Harappan sites in Haryana, it had a great contribution in the early Harappan studies in Indian sub-continent and would definitely open new prospects in future researches on formation and antecedent stages of Classical Harappans.
He said that Kunal is located in Tehsil Raita in district Fatehabad on the banks of now dried up river course of ancient mighty river Saraswati. The core area of the settlement is three-four acres though site expands to nine acres.
The excavation was first conducted by late JS Khatri and M Acharya under Haryana State Archaeology Department during the year 1985-86. The previous excavations have provided significant traits of early Harappan culture in our subcontinent at Kunal for the very first time in the history of Harappan studies. This Early Harappan time (3500-2500 BC) that is the Period ‘I’ is divided by Period ‘IA’ (3500-2850 BC), Period ‘IB’ (2850-2600 BC) and Period ‘IC’ (2600-2500 BC) which is followed by Mature Harappan Period ‘II’ (2500-1900 BC), he said.
The Minister also released a brochure containing details of 24 monuments of Haryana.