1924-25: A Lost City Emerges
The excavations at Harappa undertaken from 6th December 1924 to 6th April 1925 were Daya Ram Sahni’s last undertakings at the site. His report appears in the Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey for the year 1924-25 (henceforth ARASI 1924-25, pp. 73-80), published in 1927.
Sahni, who began the digging of Harappa in 1920-21, continued his excavations “at the low mound F’ near the banks of the old bed of the Ravi river ‘and the lofty mound A-B’ that rose abruptly to its south (Sahni 1927: 73). In mound F he excavated a large area Ae on the western edge, and sunk “four large pits”, each 50’ square, “in a line in the southern portion of mound B” (ibid: 79).
He reported that the buildings brought to light, in 1924-25, were somewhat better preserved than those that had been exposed the previous year. Among them was “what appears to have been a temple with stout brick walls in Mound B (Plate XXV, b [Excavations on Site B from S.W.])” and “another large sized structure (Plate XXIV, c [Parallel Walls])”, a “double series parallel walls without connecting walls of any kind”, in Mound F (ibid: 74). The latter he emphasized was the “most important architectural discovery of the year” (ibid: 76).
ARASI 1924-25 records that “105 negatives were exposed by the photographer of the Superintendent, Hindu and Buddhist Monuments, and consisted mainly of views of the excavations at Harappa which were under his supervision”, and that “36 of antiquities from Harappa” were included in the DGA’s photographic collection (1927: 174).
The collection catalogued here, for Harappa.com, comprise 110 photographs, in at least three albums of the ASI’s Punjab Circle, nos. 31 to 33. Of them around 49 are in ARASI 1924-25 in plates XXIV (a-e), XXV (a-d), XXVI (a-d), XXVII (a-i) and XXVIII; 10 photographs of structural remains, 48 of antiquities and 1 of a large collection of bones. Photographs of excavations at Mound F appear first, followed by those of Mound B (or Section B of Mound A-B), Terracotta and other Objects, and Seals and other Objects. Approximately, three excavation photos and all object images, such as of a ring stone, shell ladle, copper jar, terracotta snake, a double headed bust of a lion of terracotta, and terracotta figurines and seals and sealings appear in the final report that was authored by Madho Sarup Vats (1940) in the list of plates in Vol. II.
- Dr. Sudeshna Guha
References
Sahni, Daya Ram. 1927. ‘Harappa, Explorations, Northern Circle’, Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India 1924-25 (pp. 73-80), Calcutta: Govt. of India Central Publication Branch.
Blakiston, J.F. (Ed.). 1927. ‘Section X, Departmental Routine Notes: Photographs, Lahore’ Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India 1924-25 (pp. 169-178), Calcutta: Govt. of India Central Publication Branch.
Vats, Madho Sarup, 1940. Excavations at Harappa: Being an Account of Archaeological Excavations at Harappa Carried Out Between the Years 1920-21 and 1933-34, Vol. 1. Delhi: Manager of Publications.
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1. Mound F Mound F, which Sahni for a while called the "Parallel Walls" area and was later called by Sir John Marshall and others the "Granary" although this is not widely accepted anymore. The second slide… |
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2. Pot insitu filled with Bones Earthen chati filled with earth containing several bones. Pot insitu filled with several bones, Pit II. Field no on the jar PII 84. A walking cane placed near the jar represents the scale for… |
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3. Harappa Pit III after Excavations, from N.W. Published in Vats 1940, Vol. II, Plate XXXIV (d). Title: ‘Pit III Fragmentary Remains, from North-West’. Of Pit III in Mound AB Sahni noted: “Four large pits, each 50' square, were sunk… |
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4. Block of Parallel walls Parallel walls find mention in two places in the Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India 1924-25 (published 1927) [hereafter ARASI 1924-25]. Sahni: “During the season 1924-25 excavations… |
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5. Harappa Pit IV Excavated Structures Pit IV showing excavated structures from N.W. Possibly of this structure after its excavation, Sahni reported that the “fourth or the northernmost pit revealed the remains of several structures,… |
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6. Harappa Walls A view of a part of the area of Parallel walls, Mound F, possibly before deep digging. One thinner wall is exposed, and traces of the others visible. NOTE: Photos Block of Parallel Walls, Block of… |
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7. Excavations on Site B from S.W. Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXV (b). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound B, A large brick building’. “Stratum No. 5 was occupied by a brick building of considerable dimension (Plate XXV a [this should be b… |
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8. Parallel Walls View of the parallel wall area, Mound F, noted subsequently by Vats as the eastern part of the Great Granary. For Sahni’s and Vats’s description of the excavations of this area see Parallel Walls. … |
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9. Earthen Jar No. 95 Earthen Jar no. 95 found in Pit IV. Broken jar. Sahni, however, noted “large sized funerary urns” from Pit II, but only a cell and a covered brick drain and “no other objects of any kind” from Pit… |
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10. Harappa Parallel Walls Block View of six parallel walls, of the “stouter kind”. Sahni: “The most important architectural discovery … of the year was made about the centre of this mound which, though only partially, exposed,… |
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11. Room with Covered Drain Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVI (c). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound B, Pit IV, A Rectangular Cell Crossed by a Drain’. “The fourth trench or the northernmost pit revealed the remains of several… |
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12. Parallel Walls Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXIV (c). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound F, A Large Brick Building Consisting of Two Series of Parallel Walls with an Open Corridor Between Them’ Sahni (note him on… |
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13. Two Button Seals Harappa Obverse and Reverse of a Seal, published [in the same sequence as in the photograph] in Vats 1940, Vol. II, Pl. XCI, field No. 255. Title: ‘Rhomboidal Steatite Seal’, no. 255. Found from Pit IV… |
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14. Pit Containing Well Possibly the “narrow well” with the “steaning wall” only 11 inches thick, in Mound F trench A (e), which Sahni reported from the lowest excavated strata, and which he inferred was connected to the … |
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15. Harappa Pit A view of a large trench with structures, of bricks. Sahni excavated four large pits in section B of Mound AB, which he described as: “Four large pits, each 50' square, were sunk simultaneously in… |
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16. Pit where Lingam was Discovered A view of Trench A (i), Mound F, which Sahni excavated to the east of Trench A (f). Deep vertical cuttings mark the sides of the trench, showing the excavation of this area. A labourer is sitting… |
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17. Pit where lingam was discovered A view of excavations at Trench A (i), Mound F. Deep vertical cutting, mark the sides of the trench, and a labourer is shown, sitting close to the finds of structures, of bricks For a description of… |
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18. Another Excavation Pit View of the area, of the pits in AB, before deep digging. Traces of structures of bricks and possibly of the gabled drain. |
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19. Block of Parallel Walls 2 For Sahni’s description of the excavations at the area of the ‘parallel walls’ see ARASI 1924-25, pp. 76. The walls were both, stouter and thinner. Sahni mentioned that ‘the upper portion [of the… |
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20. Mound B Pot in Bricks View of mound B showing the narrow space at the west end of the twin chatti the small earthen jar fixed among bricks. View of a rectangular structure, with walls of bricks and an embedded earthen… |
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21. Two Stone Pieces Two large stone pieces. Both smooth, with traces of worked surface. Possibly the two blocks of grey and red sandstone marked B.1514 and B.1515 from Mound B, in the stratum with “a large collection… |
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22. Two Stone Pieces [Back] The back of two stone pieces in Stone Objects. Possibly the two blocks of grey and red sandstones, B. 1514 and B. 1515 (cf. ARASI 1924-25, p. 79) B.1515 was noted by Vats as “carved somewhat in the… |
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23. Block of Parallel Walls 3 Another view of the excavations at the area of the Parallel Walls, which Sahni described as the most outstanding finds of the year. Sahni, as Vats subsequently mentioned, excavated the Eastern… |
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24. Two Pots Jars In Situ Harappa Two jars side by side. One with ribbed surface and field number ‘A (?illegible) 30’. |
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25. Large Embedded Jar Harappa Large Jar embedded in the south site of a small wall in front of a tiny cell near wall No. 17 in A (b). Photograph of a jar insitu. Sahni excavated a long Trench A in Mound F, which Vats reported… |
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26. Harappa Ringstone Round stone ring reclaimed from possession of Harappa Police Thana Published in Vats 1940, Vol. II, Plate CXVII, 3. Title of Plate “Miscellaneous Cult and Household Objects” Vats mentioned the… |
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27. Cell with Pointed Jars Small cell behind later sepulchre in trench A (e) in which a number of pointed jars with bones were found. There is no mention in ARASI 1924-25 of a sepulchre in Trench A (e) with pointed jars with… |
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28. Block of Parallel Walls 4 View of three thinner and three stouter walls. For Sahni’s description of the excavations at this area see ARASI 1924-25, p. 76. NOTES: 1. Photographs Parallel Walls, 60, Parallel Walls, Block… |
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29. Earthen Jar Excavations Earthen jar found in Trench A (f). The description of the duplicate photo 40: Large earthen jar (A) of 21 found in western portion of Tr. A (f). The contents of a large and broken jar comprise… |
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30. Mound F burial resembling a modern samadhi Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXIV (b). Title: Harappa: Mound F, A burial structure resembling a modern samadhi unearthed in Trench A (E) Describing the finds of this burial structure Daya Ram… |
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31. Globular Pot Circular Hearth in Eastern Part of Trench A (f) from S.E. View of a large globular pot. Sahni reported a “large heap of ashes mixed with charred bones” from Trench A (f) [p. 75], and described the… |
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32. Harappa Second Stone Ring Published ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVI (d). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound A Large sized Ring of Polished Stone’ Despite the object label of Pl. XXVI d, which notes the provenance as Harappa, this plate is… |
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33. Earthen Sump Jar Sink for collection of water in the form of an earthen jar with channel cut out of a brick. A jar, numbered A (f) 160,insitu. Sahni mentions a large earthen jar near a bathing platform in Trench A… |
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34. Two Large Jars Trench AF Two large fragmentary jars, one of the cylindrical and the other of the bulged type. From Trench Af, Mound F. Both jars are insitu, and broken. The one which appears cylindrical has a field number,… |
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35. Mound F burial structure resembling a modern samadhi 2 Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXIV (a). Caption: Harappa: Mound F, A burial structure resembling a modern samadhi unearthed in Trench A (e) . Described by Sahni as: "a horizontal platform of a… |
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36. Figurines and Two-headed Lion Harappa Two terracotta male figurines, nude. Left: Male figurine, nude, published in Vats 1940 (Vo. II), no. 21. Find no. A. 19, 1.7 in high “found at a depth of 2 ft. 6 in. b.s., in Mound F, Great Granary… |
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37. Mound AB, Section B The following slides and objects are from of what Sahni calls Mound B, a portion of what is known as the larger Mound AB (shown in second slide above). Mound B is also known as the area around the… |
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38. Three Earthen Jars at Summit of Site B in situ Three earthen jars found in the southern portion of the summit of site B, from E. A large and two smaller jars, one with a conical base. Of the excavations at the top of Mound B Sahni noted: “The… |
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39. Mound B Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXV (a). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound B, General View from East’. “A large trench excavated in mound B (Plate XXV a) behind the Naugaza tomb during my operations of 1920… |
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40. Large Earthen Jar Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXV (c). Title: ‘Mound B, Brick Platform with Cinerary Jar Placed Upon it Mouth Downwards’. The jar is recorded as “earthen urn (B. 1486).” All the remains laid… |
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41. Summit Mound Dug for Bricks Sahni mentioned the highest mound at Harappa to be ‘the summit of the northern portion of Mound B”. This is one of the views of this portion, with a person, wearing glasses, standing. Of ‘brick… |
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42. Block of Parallel Walls View of the parallel wall area, Mound F, noted subsequently by Vats as the eastern part of the Great Granary. For Sahni’s and Vats’s description of the excavations of this area see Parallel Walls. … |
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43. Pit I Harappa View of Pit I, in southern portion of Section of B, Mound AB, showing remains of brick lined structures and a few large earthen jars insitu. Sahni reported: “Four large pits, each 50' square, were… |
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44. Harappa Excavations View of a trench with structures, which comprise bricks. Sahni excavated four pits in section B of Mound AB. For description see ARASI 1924-25, pp. 79-80. Note: The exact location of the area… |
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45. Excavation Pit I from N.E. View of Pit I, Mound AB. Sahni: ‘The only structures reclaimed in pit I were two cells occurring at the depth of 3’ and 10’ respectively, which might have been kitchens or baths, and a well… |
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46. Earthen Jar Trench A Earthen jar placed inside down along west edge of the southern portion of trench A (e). Is this the same jar as the Large Earthen Jar? Both were found with their mouth (this case, inside) down… |
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47. Mound B, Pit I, A Long Drain with Gabled Roof Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVI (b). Title: ‘Mound B, Pit I, A Long Drain with Gabled Roof’ Description of the find ARASI 1924-1925, pp. 79-80: "Four large pits, each 50’ square were sunk… |
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48. Large Collection of Animal Bones Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVI (a). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound B, A large collection of animals’ bones’. From “large trench excavated in mound B … behind the Naugaza tomb”, stratum below stratum… |
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49. Excavation Pit I Drain View of Pit I, Mound B, with the long, gabled roof drain. The area of Pit I is marked with a label in the photograph and two men positioned in two areas to show the salient features. One stands near… |
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50. Double Lion head terracotta cone found in trench A Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVII (f), with the ‘cone’ base. Title: ‘Double-headed Terracotta bust of a Lion’ Published in Vats 1940, Vol. II, Plate LXXIX, 88. Described as ‘A Jugate Tiger… |
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51. Four Unicorn Seals Harappa Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVIII, figs. 21, 22, 23 and 24. Title of Plate: ‘Seals and Other Objects’ Labelled, from left to right: “(24) Pit I 42”; “(21) Pit I 39”; “(22) Pit I 40”; “(23)… |
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52. Terracotta tiles with only a foot of Sculpture Terracotta tiles with only a foot of the sculpture fig. extant found in Mound B. Sahni reported finds of Kushan period antiquities from the upper portion of Mound B. However, there is no mention of… |
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53. Pit II Harappa View of the ‘house’ and the ‘brick built grave’ at Pit II, in southern portion of Section of B, Mound AB. Pit II provided rich finds, and Sahni noted: “Pit II revealed at the depth of 3 ½’ a copper… |
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54. Excavation Pit II from N.E. View of Pit II, Mound AB, showing parts of a brick structure with a label, PII 99. About the excavations of Pit II in Mound AB, Sahni reported: “No structural remains were met with in this trench… |
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55. Earlier sculptures in trench A (e) Of Trench A (e) Sahni noted: “In mound F which rises about 25’ above the plain level, a large area (Ae) has been dug along the western edge of the site. … The uppermost stratum yielded, besides a… |
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56. Sculpture in thickness of wall Sculpture in thickness of wall in the N.E. corner of pit II from S.E. The photograph is of brick structure, with a label PII 99. No sculpture is visible. PII is Pit II, AB Mound, and Sahni stated… |
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57. Sculptures in western portion A slightly different photograph of the structure, not so close as in this photograph is published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXV (d). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound B, A Double Burial Structure’ Sahni noted: … |
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58. Harappa Pit II Excavations View of the area of Pit II, Section B, Mound AB, before deep digging. Traces of structures underneath, with the label Pit II 98 written on a potsherd. |
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59. Copper Vessel Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVII (i), and mentioned by Sahni as P.II, 13. Title of plate: ‘Terracotta and Other Objects’. Field no. PII-13. Published in Vats 1940, Vol. II, Plate C XXIV, 26;… |
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60. Harappa Seal Published in Vats 1940, plate XCII, No 296. The published version is the other way up. Title: Seal Found in Mound AB. Vats noted the provenance as: “In squares P 18/11 and 12 are the remains of an… |
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61. Fragmentary Globular Jar Fragmentary earthen jar P.II 38. Pit II. A large earthen jar broken at the shoulder insitu, next to a structure. |
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62. Harappa Platform with large jar Harappa Platform with large jar in square 2 x 12 in southern portion of Trench A (e). The jar is broken at the top. "2 x 17" is painted on the surface, and this number possibly denotes area of find… |
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63. Stone with Hole The object published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVII (h) The object has been photographed from a distance in this, in comparison to the published photograph. The scale in front and a rod/scale at the… |
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64. Later Sepulchre in Trench A If this is a late sepulchre in Trench A, as the provisional title suggests, then the structure is from Mound F, and from the same area as the structure in Mound F burial structure [published in ARASI… |
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65. Earthen Jar near Bricks Earthen jar, A (a) in trench A (a) “near the platform of chiselled bricks.” Remains of a jar, crushed, or broken, with field number P IV 95. The field number of jar suggests that this was from Pit… |
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66. Earthen Jar Fragments Trench AF Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXIV (d). Title: ‘Harappa: Mound F, Contents of a Cinerary Jar (A (F) 317)’ Sahni described the area this was found as: “between the trench “Ae” … and the long… |
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67. Terracotta snake and coonch of the argha or spoon shape Shell Conch Spoon: Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVII (e) Terracotta Snake: Published in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXVII (a). Title of Plate XXVII: ‘Harappa: Terracotta and Other Objects’ Field… |
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68. Harappa Beads Six long beads, exhibited in two rows of three each. From mounds F and AB. Finds nos. that are noted are: A(e) 99, Ab 692, A(f) 1, B 1543, B 770. Two on either side of the bottom row are of… |
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69. Human bone under an earthen dish cover Cover of a jar, Terracotta, field number A(i) 160. Of trench A (i) in Mound F, Sahni: “The trench Ai (100' x 31') excavated to the east of the one described above [A (e)] revealed at the depth of 5'… |
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70. Earthen Jar A (e) 308 earthen jar lying to the east of earlier sepulcher in trench A (e). Possibly a funerary jar. |
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71. Pot Lying East of Earlier Sepulchre A (e) 308 earthen jar lying to the east of earlier sepulchre in trench A (e). A jar insitu. For Sahni’s description of trench A (e) in Mound F, and its contents, see ARASI 1924-25, pp. 75-76… |
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72. Circular Hearth Harappa Circular Hearth in eastern portion of trench A (f) from S.E. There is no mention of a circular granary from trench A(f), Mound F, in ARASI 1924-25. However, Sahni noted “two little circular… |
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73. Cubical Weights Five cubical weights, possibly all made of chert; find nos. noted: AB 16, B 588, AB 101. From mound AB, and Vats noted that most were found from extensions of Pit I and II (Vats 1940, Vol. 1, p. 361… |
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74. Circular Hearth with Platform Circular Hearth with Platform in western portion of Trench A (f) Described by Sahni as a paved circular structure. This can be seen in the foreground of Plate X (a), Vats 1940, Vol. II that shows a … |
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75. Painted Potsherds Nine sherds, painted potsherd Right, Top row: painting of a ‘Peacock and a hen facing each other’ Sahni documented this potsherd from Mound F, area of parallel walls with a copper nail extractor,… |
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76. Earthen Jar Trench A (e) from East A globular jar; tied with a rope to keep the sherds in place. |
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77. Sandstone Lingam insitu Published but cropped in ARASI 1924-25, Plate XXIV (e) Captioned: ‘Harappa: Mound F, Stone Obelisk (height 11” Found in Trench A (i)’ The find was in “Trench Ai (100’ x 31’) and Sahni noted: “A… |
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78. Earthen Jar insitu Trench A (f) The jar is more or less intact. No field number on the visible surface. |
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79. Terracotta heads Left to right: three heads of sculptures, cast in terracotta. From Mound AB. Near the surface. Second from left: Published in Vats 1940 (Vol. II) Pl LXXII, no. 58 Third from left: Published in Vats… |
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80. Mounds AB + F This map shows both Mound F and Mound AB, in grey circles, within the context of the larger site excavations. Objects that follow were found in both or either of these two areas and which in… |