Pre-Christian era artefacts unearthed in Odisha

Pre-Christian era artefacts unearthed in Odisha

Context

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered pottery pieces, and tools made of stones and bones believed to be of the pre-Christian era from a mound in Jalalpur village of Cuttack district

Significance

1. Discoveries of ancient artefacts indicate that a rural settlement might have thrived in that period
2. These latest discoveries is that a continuity in the progress of rural culture from a pre-historic era has been found

Tools found

Excavation carried out in 12 acres of land in the Jalalpur village has unearthed remnants of

1. Axe
2. Adze
3. Celts
4. Thumbnail scrappers chiselled from stones
5. Harpoons
6. point and stylus made of bones
7. potteries with marks of paintings

Other discoveries

1. The ASI teams have also come across a couple of circular wattle and daub structures, which were predominantly used by people to take shelter during the pre-Christian era, in 12 trenches being dug simultaneously
2. Discovery of tortoise shell, dolphin and shark teeth and fish bones indicated that the settlement could have been closer to the sea coast
3. Some rice grains have also been detected

What type of economy existed?

Rich materials found from excavation sites indicate that the people had a subsistence economy and they largely relied on agriculture, fishing and hunting