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Ahar-Banas Culture

The Ahar-Banas culture is the copper-age culture of Mewar, spread over the Banas basin; Ahar is its type site and Gilund, Balathal and Ojiyana its other digs.

⏱ 2 min read✓ Facts checked 17 October 2026

Contents

At a glance

  1. Burials with ornaments: the people of Ahar buried their dead with their ornaments.
  2. Rice: impressions of rice found at Ahar show that its people grew rice.
  3. Leprosy: a man buried at Balathal about 2500-2000 BC is the oldest skeletal evidence of leprosy in India.

The culture

AreaBasin of the Banas and its tributaries, in Mewar
Other nameBanas culture
PotteryBlack-and-red ware painted in white
Number of sitesMore than 90 (91 in one count, 111 in another)
DatesAbout 3000-1500 BCE from a series of radiocarbon dates at Balathal; V.N. Misra (1977), from Ahar's dates, gave 2000-1200 BC

The four sites

SitePlaceExcavated byKnown for
AharOn the Ahar (Ayad) river near Udaipur city; the mound is called DhulkotFirst trial dig in 1953 under Akshaykirti Vyas by the RBSE book, in 1952 by the ASI's review of 1954-55; then R.C. Agrawal in the mid-1950s and H.D. Sankalia of Deccan College in 1961-62Old name Tambavati; copper smelting
GilundRajsamand district, near the BanasB.B. Lal: 1957-58 by the RBSE book, 1959-60 by the ASI's review; Deccan College (V.S. Shinde) and the University of Pennsylvania (Gregory Possehl) again from the late 1990sTwo mounds; large mud-brick buildings
BalathalVallabhnagar tehsil, Udaipur districtV.N. Misra of Deccan College with the Institute of Rajasthan Studies, Udaipur, 1994-2000A fortified enclosure with houses around it; contact with the Harappans
OjiyanaOn a hill slope about 30 km southwest of Beawar (Bhilwara district when dug)B.R. Meena and Alok Tripathi of the ASI's Jaipur Circle, from 1999-2000One culture in a deposit about 7.5 m thick; white-painted terracotta bulls called 'Ojiyana bulls'

Remember: often mixed up

  • BricksGilund also used burnt bricks · Ahar built with stone and sun-dried brick.
  • Ahar or GaneshwarGaneshwar (Sikar), at the source of the Kantli, belongs to the separate Ganeshwar-Jodhpura copper culture.
  • Gilund or BagorBagor (Bhilwara), on the Kothari, is a Mesolithic microlith camp.

Test yourself: asked in exams

CET Senior Secondary Level 2024 · Q62

People of which Civilization buried their dead with jewellery and ornaments?

  1. (1)Gilund
  2. (2)Kalibangan
  3. (3)Ahad
  4. (4)Bagor
Show answer

✓ (3) Ahad

See the full paper

CET Graduation Level 2024 · Q129

Where is the archaeological site of “Civilization of Balathal” situated?

  1. (1)Vallabhnagar, Udaipur
  2. (2)Mount Abu, Sirohi
  3. (3)Hanumangarh
  4. (4)Ajmer
Show answer

✓ (1) Vallabhnagar, Udaipur

See the full paper

RAS Prelims 2024 · Q123

Which of the following was/were associated in the excavation of Ojiyana ? A. R.C. Agrawal B. B.R. Meena C. Alok Tripathi Codes :

  1. (1)Only A
  2. (2)Only C
  3. (3)A and B
  4. (4)B and C
Show answer

✓ (4) B and C

See the full paper

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Next topic:Sources of Rajasthan History →