PK. Behera, et al, Man and Environment XXXII): 41-46 [2007] © Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies Radiocarbon Dates from the Middle Mahanadi Valley, Orissa PK. Behera, D.K. Ray', K. Duttal, G.V. Ravi Prasad!, T.R. Routray?, R-K. Choudhury* Department of History, 1 Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, Sambalpur, Burla 768 019 Email: pkbehra@ rediffmail.com Sachivalaya Marg, Orissa, India Ton-beam Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar 751005 2. Department of Physics, 3. Nuclear Physics Sambalpur University, Division, BARC, Jyoti Vihar, Sambalpur, Mumbai Orissa Abstract ‘The present work discusses results of recently obtained radiocarbon dates from five excavated archaeological sites, located in the middle Mahanadi Valley of Orissa, and their bearing on the reconstruction of early cultural phases belonging to the first two millenniums before Christ. The results for the first time reveal a continuous record of human occupation of the area right from the Neolithic down to the Early Historie periods. Introduction The last three decades have witnessed marked progress in studies on various aspects of the archaeology of Orissa (Basa 1994; Basa and Mohanty 2000; Pradhan 2006). However, till recently, the archaeology of the pre-Christian era of this region was known largely from data amassed through surface explorations, sporadic vertical excavations and comparative studies of excavated /explored cultural remains from different geoarchaeological contexts. Till a few years ago, only two radiocarbon dates were known from the state, one from the metal period burial site of Sankerjang (Yule and Rath 1990: 581-584) and another from the Osteochalcolithic level of Golabai Sasan (Sinha 2000: 322-355). In this respect, a series of radiocarbon dates, recently obtained from the middle Mahanadi Valley ‘of Orissa will significantly contribute towards understand- ing the past cultural processes of the region from spatio- temporal perspectives. Stretching across the western part of Orissa, the middle Mahanadi Valley lies between the northern uplands and south-western hilly regions of Orissa highlands (Singh 1971: 754-775). Geographically, itis a transitional zone lying between the Chhattisgarh Plains on the west and the deltaic plains of coastal Orissa on the southeast. Archaeo- logical investigations conducted during the last few years in the area have brought to light a large number of early habitation sites, ranging in date from the Neolithic to the Early Historic periods (Behera 2000-01: 13-34, 2002- 2003: 87-103; Pradhan 2000: 99-101, 2006; Badam et al. 2001: 828- 830; Singh and Behera 2002: 173-176; Behera and Chattopadhyaya 2004-05: 118-125; Yule et al. 2005: 16-6-2007 Received Revised: 19-9-2007 Accepted : 10-10-2007 307-318.). Excavations at a few select sites were carried, out in the area, during different field seasons, with the primary objective of developing a regional culture sequence through systematic study of excavated materials, studies of their stratigraphic context and chronometric dating. Charcoal samples from different occupational levels of stratified deposits from five excavated sites (Hikudi, Khameswaripali, Badmal Asurgarh, Kumersingha and Kantipuleswar) (Table 1) were collected as per procedure (Gillespie 1984) and submitted for radiocarbon dating. In this paper, a series of '“C dates obtained from different sites with their cultural affiliation will be pre- sented and their chronological implications discussed, Distribution of the excavated sites in the Middle Mahanadi Valley region, from which samples have been collected and dated, are indicated in Fig. 1. AMS Measurements ‘The charcoal samples were first cleaned from adhering surface contaminants.To obtain CO, for “C analysis, ~5 mg of pre-treated charcoal samples were taken for combustion. The samples were sealed with CuO and fine Ag wires in evacuated quartz tubes, and heated at 900 °C for ~3hrs. The CO, obtained by combustion of the samples was converted into graphite by reducing with ultra-pure hydrogen (H,) gas in presence of iron (Fe) catalyst. The graphite samples thus formed were pressed into cathode targets for “C analysis. “C measurements in the samples were done by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) method, using NEC 3MV 9SDH-2 Pelletron accelerator at the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar (Ravi Prasad et al. 2006). NBS oxalic acid OxI and OxII were used as standards. Ratios of “C/""C were measured by sequential injection of "C and “C ions for standards as well as for unknowns. The sample changing was automated recently and about six independent measurements were made onMan and Environment XXXII (2) — 2007 BLACK-AND-RED WARE SETTLEMENTS IN THE MIDDLE MAHANADI VALLEY, ORISSA LEGEND A Expires Sites A. Excavated Sies © District Head atrs B Land 200M. ams! Ly Fig. I Map of the middle Mahanadi Valley, showing distribution of early habitations (excavated/explored) associated with BRW potteries and other materials. Sites from which charcoal samples have been dated and discussed in the text are: 7-Hikudi, 9-Khameswaripali, 18-Badmal, Asurgarh, 12-Kumersingha, and 34-Kantipuleswar. cach sample. The results of the ages of nine numbers of samples collected from five different sites are given in Table 2 and are identified by their Lab Code numbers, which start IP- and follows with the sample numbers. ‘The errors reported are external, which include instabilities of terminal voltage of the accelerator and other tuning parameters during measurement over and above the statistical precision. All “C-ages were normalized with uniform 6 “C of -25%o. The '*C-ages were calibrated with CalibS.1 calibration program. The available results from different laboratories on the samples (having Lab Code with initials PRL- and KIA-) collected from respective statigraphic contexts are also given in the same table for comparison. Discussion The calibration results (Fig. 2) are very significant in reconstructing phases of cultural developments during the first two millenniums before Christ in the middle ‘Mahanadi valley region of Orissa highlands and its adjoining areas. For the first time we have a couple of radiocarbon dates from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic levels from Orissa, besides a cluster of dates from different levels of habitation deposits belonging to the Iron Age. The dates closely follow those from similar cultural contexts reported from different parts of India (Agrawal 1982; Agrawal and Kusumgar 1974; Agrawal and Chakrabarty 1979; Possehl 1988 : 169-196; Agrawal and Kharakwal 2003: 186-194, 230-235). ‘Two dates (Table 2: 1-2) from Hikudi fall within the time bracket, i.e. 2400-1700 B.C., delineated for Indian Neolithic culture (Singh 2002:144). Culturally also,Radiocarbon Dates from the Middle Mahanadi Valley, Orissa Table 1: Excavated sites, from which charcoal samples were collected and dated Name of Si District River System Year Periods and Cultural Features Hikudi Subamapur The Mahanadi__ 1999-2000 __Period-I (Neolithic) Hand-made, cord impressed (20° 52°17" and decorated RW potteries; ground stone axes, 8° 54°15"E) saddle querns, bone tools, etc. Period-II (Early Historic) BRW, RSW, RW, BSW potteries, iron objects, ring-well, stone beads, etc. Khameswaripali Subarnapur The Mahanadi_—‘1996-97__Period-IA(Chalcolithic) (24° 6 N; 83° 0°E) Period-IB (Chalcolithic) Period-I:BRW with white painted designs, decorated RSW and BBW,RW potteries; Bone tools, stone and shell- objects, ete. Period-II (Late Chalcolithic-Early Iron Age) Continuation of the above with advanced features Period-III (Iron Age) Continuation of the above with marked degeneration, iron objects, beads of banded agate, etc. Badmal Asurgarh — Sambalpur Harihar stream, 2001-02 _Period-IA to IC (Iron Age) (21° 6°22" N; a tributary of the Plain & rarely Painted BRW, RSW, RW, BSW 84° 03° 37" E) Mahanadi potteries, iron and bone objects, graffiti-marked potsherds, ete. Period-II (Barly Historic) The settlement was fortified, continuation of the earlier features with new trait elements, proliferation of iron objects, large-scale gem-stone bead manufacturing activities, etc. Kumersingha Subamapur The Mahanadi2000-01_—_—Period-IA and IB (Iron Age) (20° 51" 54” Period-lII (Early Historic) 84° 05°00") ‘Same as Badmal except fortification and bead workshop Kantipuleswar Angul ‘The Mahanadi 2005-06 —_—Period-IA and IB (Iron Age) (20° 44° 35" N; Period Il (Early Historic) 84° 30°42” B) Same as Badmal except fortification and bead workshop ‘material remains from Hikudi (Behera 2006: 26-33) share ‘many common characteristics features with those of the eastem Indian Neolithic tradition in general and north- eastem zone in particular (Sharma 1981: 41-52; Pal 1986; ‘Thapar 1985; Verma 1988; Sant 1991; Singh 1991). The Period-I of Khameswaripali, characterized by white painted Black-and-Red Ware and tools of bone, shell and stone, etc., has yielded two dates 1,555 + 60 Cal. B.C. (Table 2: 4) and 1,065 + 66 Cal. B.C. (Table 2: 3) from sub-Period IA and IB, respectively (Behera 2002 : 493- 520). Significantly, as regards the date and associated cultural characteristic features, the Chalcolithie period of Khameswaripali demonstrates its contemporaneity with those of Ahar culture, Phase IC (Possehl and Rissman 1992: I, 482) of Rajasthan; Late Prabhas Culture, Period- III (Dhavalikar 1997: 98) and Rangpur culture, Period-II1 (Bhan 1992: 175) of Gujarat; Malwa culture, Phase-III (Possehl and Rissman 1992 : I, 486-87, II, Table 12, 465) of Madhya Pradesh; Malwa and Jorwe cultural phases of Deccan (Dhavalikar 1997: 155); the Vindhyan (Dhavalikar 1997; 231), Sarayupar region (Chaturvedi 1985: 101-08; Singh 1994 : 33), Bihar (Dhavalikar 1997: 242) and West Bengal (Possehl and Rissman 1992: 481-482) of northern as well as eastern parts of India, Although the earliest level 43