Massive Archaeological Discovery in Maharashtra: 3,000-Year-Old Iron Age Civilization Unearthed in Yavatmal
Massive Archaeological Discovery in Maharashtra: 3,000-Year-Old Iron Age Civilization Unearthed in Yavatmal
Find at Pachkhed village reveals continuous human occupation from Iron Age to Nizam era
A stunning archaeological breakthrough has emerged from Pachkhed village in Yavatmal district, Maharashtra, where researchers from Nagpur University, led by Dr. Prabash Sahu, have unearthed a 3,000-year-old Iron Age civilization. The excavation has uncovered ancient roundhouses with limestone floors, mud ovens, iron tools, terracotta pottery, bone artifacts, and semi-precious stone beads, offering rare insight into early agrarian life, craftsmanship, and trade in central India.
The dig site, located at a mound just beyond the village, revealed an 8.73-meter-thick cultural deposit, suggesting a long and layered human settlement. Such mounds, often formed by centuries of habitation and accumulation of cultural debris, are key indicators of ancient civilizations.
The excavation identified four major cultural phases:
- Iron Age – The earliest and foundational layer, characterized by iron tools and distinct pottery styles, points to a sophisticated community with skills in metallurgy and trade.
- Satavahana Period – Spanning roughly the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, this era added ceramic artefacts typical of the influential Satavahana dynasty that ruled the Deccan plateau.
- Medieval Phase – Marked by signs of reuse or reoccupation, though fewer artefacts were recovered from this layer.
- Nizam Period – The most recent phase, dating to the 18th–20th centuries, when the site appears to have been reused as a watchtower during the reign of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
To verify the site’s age, organic samples have been sent to the Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) in New Delhi for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating. This method, which measures the decay of carbon isotopes, is expected to confirm the site’s timeline by May or June 2025. If validated, this site could become one of the oldest known Iron Age settlements in Vidarbha, significantly enriching the archaeological history of central India.
Dr. Sahu emphasized that confirmation of the 3,000-year timeline could rewrite the early history of the region:
“Once we receive AMS data, we will be able to confirm beyond doubt that this settlement dates back three millennia.”
This discovery stands to shift focus beyond the traditionally explored Indus Valley and Gangetic plains, spotlighting Vidarbha as a significant cradle of early Indian civilization.
