Ancient Copper Wheel, Bone Needle, Kiln Unearthed In Latest Excavation At Purana Qila Site

A spoked copper wheel of Kushana era, an arrowhead of Rajput period and coins dating from the Mughal reign are among a range of ancient artefacts unearthed in the latest excavation currently underway at the Purana Qila site in Delhi, a top official of the Archaeological Survey of India said on Tuesday.

It is one of the “rare archaeological sites” in India where layers of history spanning over 2,500 years have been found, ASI spokesperson Vasant Swarnkar said.

Painted grey wares or PGWs were found in the first round of excavation in 2013-14, Swarnkar said.

Padma Vibhushan Prof B B Lal, who had also carried out excavation works inside the fort and its premises in 1954 and 1969-73, had co-related the finding of PGWs at various sites believed to be linked with Mahabharata with that period, according to ASI officials.

The artefacts have been unearthed as a result of multiple rounds of excavations, which date from Pre-Mauryan era to Mughal period, Swarnkar said.

“In the latest excavation at Purana Qila site, artefacts from Kushana period, Rajput period and Mughal period have been found, among other antique remains. These include a spoked copper wheel about 5 cm in diameter (Kushana period), a copper arrow head (Rajput period), a bone needle and a pint (Gupta period) and old coins (Mughal period),” Swarnkar told PTI.