Part 3 - Developments in the Iron-NBPW phase

The Chalcolithic cultures in the Middle Gaṅgā Plains in general met their ends around 1000 BCE. The subsequent Iron-NBPW cultures had a much wider distribution. Roughly from the 6^th century BCE settlements started proliferating and around 450 NBPW sites were located in the Middle Gaṅgā Plains. Their material remains showed a strong bias for iron objects. In case of South Bihar already existing sites showed a much thicker deposit layer from the NBPW phase while a number of new sites sprang up.

At Campā the Iron-NBPW deposits are five times thicker than pre-Iron deposits.

At Sonepur, Taradih, Rajgir, Maner and Chirand everywhere NBPW deposits are much thicker than the preceding pre Iron deposits. NBP age settlements grew in size and number in the Gaṅgā-Yamuna divide and even in the Middle Gaṅgā zone.

At Maner the NBPW mound spreads over 1 sq. Km.

At Chirand the NBPW deposit was much bigger than pre Iron spread. Same was the case with Taradih and Vaiśālī. This development matches Gordon Childe’s criteria of development of complex societies and eventual urbanisation. His model stands for growing size of settlements and monumental works.^[1] Increased size of these settlements was associated with advanced material remains.

At Sonpur the NBP phase starts immediately after the Chalcolithic period and fine specimens of iron objects were discovered from the site. These were arrow head, spearhead, nail, blade, chisel etc. Several copper items too were found associated with the same ware. The associated wares were BRW, Black Ware, Red Ware etc.

At Taradih, NBPW was represented by iron and NBPW sherds. Associated wares were BSW, BRW, Red Ware of different fabrics and designs. Few iron implements, copper coins, pieces of crucibles, iron slag were discovered from the NBP layers.

Other than Sonpur and Taradih other small sites of the region that showed NBPW legacy were Agandha, Amarut, Bhelavar, Chhatoi, Chillor, Dahrawat, Dhangama, Makkanpur, Simurai and many more. All of them are rural sites with significant NBPW antiquities, located in the Gaya-Rajgir belt. In the Samastipur district Pandavgarh, Mangalgarh and Jayamangalgarh in Begusarai district showed NBPW sherds. In the Middle Gaṅgā Plains in general iron artefacts may be found in much larger number than the preceding Chalcolithic times. Iron slags and artefacts including axes, chisels, sickles showing a boom in iron craft. All the sites of Taradih, Sonpur, Chirand yielded such objects.

At Taradih, chisels and nails of BRW phase can be dated to 600 BCE roughly. Champa also shows a significant store of iron objects.

At Sonepur 55 iron objects were found from the NBPW phase. These were mainly medium and small weapons, household and utility items. That Sonepur had a blooming iron industry was proved by two crucibles found here.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Gordon Childe, 'Urban revolution', in Town planning Review, No. 21, 1950, pp.3–17.