400 Ancient Settlements in Cholistan

by GOODPAL in Social Sciences, February 11, 2011

Synopsis

From mid fourth millennium BC till mid-second millennium BC, the Hakra-Ghagger Valley in the Cholistan Region of Pakistan was a flourishing region and important cultural center. Initially the region came under the influence of pre-Indus Kot Diji Culture. Subsequently the region’s contacts with the Indus metropolis, Harappa, increased and the region became a part of the Indus Civilization. The main activity in the region was production of large number of craft items at around 400 sites.

Rafi Samad

Key words: Archaeology, Hakra-Ghagger Valley, Kot Diji Culture, Indus Civilization, Intense industrial activity

Period: 3500 BC – 1600 BC

Prominent sites: Gamanwala, Derawar, Ganweriwala

Cholistan is located east of the Sutlej River, along the western borders of the Thar Desert. In modern times it provides a picture of an arid wasteland in which the scanty population is constantly subjected to prolonged periods of drought. However in the period from early fourth millennium BC to about 1600 BC, Cholistan was a prosperous region as is revealed by the discovery of more than 400 settlements, belonging to this period.

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Changing of river courses

In the early 4th millennium BC, called the Hakra period, Cholistan was traversed by the Hakra River. This is the name given to the Hakra-Ghagger River after it enters Cholistan near Fort Abbas. However in the fourth and early third millennium major changes took place in the Hakra-Ghagger River System. The Sutlej River, the major tributary of the Hakra-Ghagger River, changed course and instead of flowing into the Ghagger River, it began to flow westwards, joining the Indus River near Panjnad. This depletion in water supply caused the northern regions of Cholistan around Fort Abbas to dry up and a number of settlements in this region were abandoned. However the central part of Cholistan continued to receive water through a stream or channel, which branched off from the Sutlej River between Panjnad and Bahawalpur. In this central region of Cholistan around Derawar, the settlements continued to prosper and new settlements began to emerge in early third millennium BC. In the pre-Indus period Gamanwala was the most prosperous settlement in this region, covering an area of more than 27 hectares. However, Gamanwala was not able to maintain its position in the Indus period due to changes in the routes of rivers and streams, which were the life-blood of the city and indeed of the region as a whole.