Rajghat Excavations

About Rajghat Excavations

• Location:  Rajghat is located on the north-eastern edge of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganga and Varuna rivers.
  • It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the middle Ganga Valley.
  • According to archeologists, the area was part of ancient Varanasi, which served as the capital of the Kashi kingdom.
  • It is also known as the Kashi Mahajanpad.
• First Excavation at Rajghat: The first archaeological remains at the site were discovered in 1939 during the expansion of the Kashi railway station.
  • • Further, excavations were carried out jointly by the ASI and BHU between 1957 and 1969, under the supervision of BHU Professor A K Narain and archaeologist T N Roy.
  • Findings during the excavation:
    • The excavations uncovered remains of ancient settlements, including structures believed to be houses, terracotta objects, seals, and many other artefacts.

Key Findings from Rajghat Excavations

• Recently, experts also opened a box containing a human skeleton found at the same site, which had remained sealed for about 70 years.
• The excavated boxes contain sculptures, ancient coins, tools, stamp seals, and objects made of copper, ivory, and bone.
• Inscriptions and script: Several seals bearing inscriptions, including some written in the Brahmi script were also found.
  • These findings can help researchers understand the scripts, governance systems, trade, and economic systems of the periods in which they were used.
• Photographs negatives: The boxes also contains around 3,000 glass slides and more than 5,000 photographic negatives documenting archaeological sites across India- Rajghat, Manjhi, Ratnagiri, Ajanta and Ellora.
  • The photographs record what these sites looked like before years of weathering, restoration, and modern development changed some of them.
  • They also contain rare images of idols of Lord Vishnu, Shiva, and Buddha.