S R Rao
Former Emeritus Scientist, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula-403004, Goa, India
The main objective of the Society for Marine Archaeology formed in 1981 was to provide a platform for academic discussion on underwater exploration, excavation, research and publication. The Society has since 1987 conducted International and National conferences on Marine Archaeology at different university centers in the country and provided ample opportunity to discuss and promote research on the exploration and preservation of underwater cultural Heritage. The output of the Marine Archaeology Centre (MAC) of the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa in various sectors of underwater archaeology such as exploration, excavation, discovery and preservation of portable antiquities during the last twenty three years in commendable. This is not only my view but the view of the Review Committee which undertook a Peer Review of Marine Archaeology which was held on 23-24 August, 1999. After examining the antiquities and publications of the MAC, discussion with Director NIO, and the staff, the Committee has recorded that “ the member of the Committee unanimously felt that the technical efforts put into the field work have been of a very high standard and the results obtained are of scientific and archaeological significance and value. The committee felt that Bet Dwarka would always profit from further work. The members felt that the work on the shipwreck, which has not been finished should be completed as soon as possible.
The committee has no hesitation in putting on record its great appreciation of the scientific contributions made by the MAC because these discoveries have enhanced the dimensions of the scientific investigations conducted in various states of the country. MAC brought to light pottery (yet to be dated) from one meter below the sediment in Bet Dwarka waters in 1988-89.
The World Ships Trust Award Committee (UK) chose to give its first award (1992) for individual excellence to S.R. Rao which in fact is “in appreciation of the unique contribution made to Marine Archaeology by MAC by discovering Dvaraka. The President organized in 2004 an Alphabet Gallery highlighting the decipherment of Indus Script in Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha Tirupati which has also published a “Guide”. MAC explored the Sunchi Reef in Goa waters and discovered four canons and a number of granite blocks, it also has to its credit the uncovering by airlift of a part of a shipwreck at St George Reef and collected terracotta artifacts in Baga Bay where a wreck was noted.
The report submitted to the Deaprtment of Culture in HRD Ministry in 2001 was examined by the secretary, who visited the site in 2002 and agreed to include it in the Tenth Five Year Plan. But nothing has been done to preserve this great Heritage site. A couple of culture- conscious businessmen agreed to meet a part of the cost. The Archaeological Survey Review Committee has also recommended that Dvaraka must be preserved. The neglect of the site after the last expedition in 1998 has resulted in some damage which can however be set right if the steps recommended in the Project Report are taken now. From the point of History, Science and emotional attachment of Indians Dvaraka must be preserved at any cost. The estimated expenditure is 14 Corers but this can be recovered within 8 or 10 years if it is made a tourist destination. I appeal once again to the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat to preserve Dvaraka for posterity.
Date and Cause of Submergence of Dvaraka
A diver who was given an opportunity at Dvaraka to learn diving and archaeology learnt only diving. He has raised the issue of date of Dwarka, I am only to say that archaeological dating of sites is not done on the basis of a single objects. Nowadays scientific methods of dating are available. The T.L. date for the pottery from the fortwall in the upper terrace at BDK-II in Bet Dwaraka is 1528 BC. The patches of large blocks of stone wall built on lower terrace in inter tidal zone must be earlier –say of 17th century BC. In 1998 two young diver-archaeologists who excavated the protohistoric mound in BDK-VI overlooking the mudflats of Balapur Bay, where we had sunk a trench, found a large copper fish-hook and its date has been fixed 18th century BC by scientific dating method.
As regards the date of a very large number of bastions and parts of fort walls, ancient Dvaraka submerged in the Arabian sea near Gomati mouth we have to rely on the relative chronology namely pottery, and the sea level rise. We are of the view that Dvaraka was submerged by a Tsunami- like high energy waves pulling down heavy blocks of stone used in the construction of structures This must have also resulted in changing the course of the palaeo channel of Gomati recorded by K.H. Vora. The reference to such a catastrophe is contained in the Mahabharata as well as Bhagavata. We know from these texts that Dwarka on mainland was built by Krishna which was contemporary to Bet Dwaraka (Kusasthali). It can be dated to 17th century BC. This date is confirmed by Gaur and Sundaresh for the Balapur fishhook (2004).
The 3-holed triangular stone anchors found in large numbers in Dvaraka waters suggest a continuity in the evolution of the triangular anchors of Lothal and Mohenjo-Daro which had a single hole. The Dvaraka anchors of Late Harappan Phase are a couple of centuries earlier than the identical anchors of Late Bronze Age used in Cyprus and Syria.
Another young diver wanted that I should reply to the former diver's doubts about the date of anchors. I may point out that just because a particular type of anchors is used for thousands of years one should not rush to the conclusion that it is of modern age.An example is the steatite vessel used in the Neolothic Age (as early as 6000 BC in Mehrgarh and later in Indian Neolithic sites), just because such vessels are in use today we should not date Neolithic sites to 2000 A.D. Pottery and other relative evidences should be taken into account for dating a site. When Leshnik doubted whether Lothal dock was meant for shipping I did not reply to his note in American Anthropologist. But a highly experienced prehistorian Dr. Sankalia wrote later in 1984 “Leshnik is initially prejudiced ….. He says Lothal is not a port although he concedes its proximity to the sea” Subsequently Dr. Nigam's investigation cleared all doubts. The date of both the submerged Dvarakas has been confirmed by the excavation in Balapur site by Gaur and Sundaresh. As regards the cause of submergence of Dvaraka I have a separate paper on the subject and the geologist, who has done much research on the subject seems to have assessed correctly the cause for submergence of Dvaraka, which appears more convincing.
Magan
It is gratifying to learn that a few days ago a group of enthusiastic prehistorians and mariners from Oman who built a replica of the reed boat of Harappan times set sail from Sur in Oman to Mandovi in Kutch. Unfortunately it sank within a few km from the port of Sur. Even so, the group deserves congratulation for the daring experiment they attempted. I wish they try again and succeed.
In the realm of publications I must refer a highly informative book titled “Sea-Our Saviour” by Rear Admiral (Retd) K. Sridharan, AVSM, which I shall be reviewing shortly. It is one of the best publication which must be read by all interested in the study of Indian Ocean and the defence of India's coastline.
The President of the Society in his personal capacity was elected a member of the UNESCO sponsored ICOMOS International Committee for underwater Cultural Heritage, (ICUCH) for maximum period namely three consecutive tenures (of 3 years each). The ICUCH drafted a convention and the UNESCO too approved it. These are no small achievements for MAC to be proud of. I am sure further work on these wrecks will continue despite of inadequate funds and working space. I am glad to inform you that the Society for Indian Ocean Studies (SIOS) which has been publishing a Journal has made me an Honorary Fellow of the SIOS.
The President delivered a lecture on recent archaeological discoveries at the seminar on Integrated Approach to knowledge and information organized by the Pathway, at Wniteneia in May 2003 and author talk at Sammelana organized by NAL.
The review of the four volumes of ICHR publication was done for Geological Society. The British Museum Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology has published a brief but highly significant account of Marine Archaeological work done by MAC in India. This has created interest among other nations in India's underwater cultural Heritage. An article on “Brick” was contributed by me to the Encyclopedia of Indian Classical Science (USA) and a forward to the book “Apsaras in Ranikivav” was also written.
Preservation of Underwater Cultural Heritage
More often than not, archaeological remains excavated on land are not preserved for posterity by the agency conducting the excavation. A glaring example to the negelect of the excavated Harappan site of Kalibangan. Fortunately Lothal site is preserved and a museum is also built.
The most important underwater site of Dvaraka excavated by MAC with the funds and technical assistance of CSIR-DST and to a limited extent by ASI should have been preserved by a competent agency. Keeping in mind that neither ASI nor CSIR had the necessary expertise to undertake conservation of a submerged city I consulted a number of Indian organizations as well as individuals such as the Indian Navy, Research Foundations and underwater construction engineer, and prepared a comprehensive Project Report for preservation of submerged Dvaraka for which there is very great demand from all quarters from the point of view of scientific research and promoting tourism. Dvaraka could be a Tourist destination.
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