Settlement Archaeology of Balathal and Gilund with Special Reference to Architecture and Site Planning (original) (raw)

The Ahar-Banas chalcolithic culture complex (c. 3600BCE-1500BCE) is the most famed of the non-Harappan chalcolithic culture of western India and this culture is particularly noted for its incipient urbanisation stage. Two of the majorly excavated chalcolithic sites namely Balathal and Gilund have provided remarkable structural remains including both public and domestic architecture. Present work has focused on micro-level settlement of Balathal and Gilund along with the developmental phases of chalcolithic architecture, functions of the structures, site organisation, management and defence mechanisms, and to understanding the development of structures in the context of adjacent landscape. It also attempts to compare the structire from both the sites and see whether there can be a structural interpretation on a generic basis for Ahar culture sites.