BHUBANESWAR: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Bhubaneswar branch has unearthed faunal remains of several marine animals and wild animals like rhinoceros at Bharati Huda excavation site, located at Prachi River Valley , about 50 kms from Bhubaneswar. The excavation has also thrown light on a cultural continuity from Chalcolithic to early Iron Age period at the spot. The inhabitants were quite active in marine activities , ASI sources said.“We got many bone tools which are quite unique and rare in shape along with bones of fishes like three types of sharks and dolphins. These findings indicate that either the sea was closure to the site, which is now around 25 kms away. Or the people residing at this place were actively involved in fishing and other marine activities,” said Dibishad Garnayak, superintending archaeologist of ASI excavation wing, Bhubaneswar.During the excavation ASI has so far found structural remains, faunal remains, carbonized grains, stone and bone tools of early Iron Age to prehistoric or Chalcolithic period without any cultural gap. “Cultural continuity for a period of over 2000 years indicated that it was an old and prosperous civilization. The inhabitants were good at hunting, fishing and agriculture. At the same time the paintings on pottery shows that they were art lovers as well,” Garnayak said.Sources said, the ceramic assemblage found during the excavation consisted of wares of different colours and tones including red, red slipped, chocolate or tan, and grey or black. The potteries are mostly fine to medium in fabric and medium to thin in texture. The shapes found are vase, bowls, bowl-on-stand, ring based bowls, miniature pots, storage jars, marinated pots and high necked pots. The pottery were beautifully decorated and painted in red ochre colour.The five structures made of yellow and dark grey colour soil noticed during the excavation. These are in the form of circular wall, semi-circular wall, crescent shape wall and mud platforms of different size and shapes.Besides, the important antiquities retrieved from the site included polished stone axes and adzes, bone points, terracotta sling balls, terracotta wheel, beads of carnelian, sharpener or polisher of quartz and sandstone, hopscotch, barbed bone point, bone drill, bone arrow head, bone spear-head, stylus and needle made of antler, bone borer cum side scraper and bone spatula.The ASI had identified the site in mid-2017 and started excavation from January 9, 2018. “We are happy with the developments so far and are planning to continue the excavation till April 2018. We are quite hopeful that it may get some early dates as well,” he added.Rajya Sabha polls: BJP candidates Bhupendra Yadav, Kirorilal Meena and Madanlal Saini from Rajasthan file nominationsCentral Railway to run two special trains from Mumbai's CSMT to Bhusawal at 8.50pm and 10.00pm on Monday to send the agitating farmers back.

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