A Harappan Era 'Factory' Village - What We Know About Binjor

A factory site on the banks of Ghaggar river

The Harappan 'mound' of Binjor, known since 1950s, was excavated between 2014-17. Disha Ahluwalia's recent write up reminded us of early publications on the subject.

A factory village on Ghaggar's banks: Archaeologists think the site could have seen mass production and industrial activity between 2600-2000 BCE - i.e the Mature Harappan period.

• The 120m X 120m site shows evidence of 250 hearths (fireplaces/kilns). Industrial scale quantities of hearths were found from the Mature Harappan period.

• Hearths were found from much earlier period too - in seven phases to be precise. The Mature industrial scale production phase, however, might have coincided with the civilisation's trading contacts opening up.

• An 'industrial' site such as this is rare and show much potential in helping us understand the Sindhu - Saraswati civilisation's history.

...but what were they manufacturing? 'Mass production of copper implements' is how archaeologist Disha Ahluwalia puts it.

• They've found thick deposits of industrial waste AND a large number of finished products.

• Specialized hearths such as large ones for smelting, smaller ones for secondary melting and lastly another type for shaping/polishing have been found.

• A fire altar, probably used for ceremonial purposes, with a shaft has also been found in the site.

Some more trivia. This site is only about 100km from Kalibangan, a major Harappan site.

• The entire 100km stretch between Kalibangan and Binjgor is a wheat cultivating, lust green area today - watered by Ghaggar's underground aquifer - Saraswati's waters still helping Indics flourish?

• Mud bricks found here were shaped in the ratio of 1:2:4 - something that's very typical of Mature Harappan sites.

Idly shaped terracotta cakes: Last trivia item - they found an incredible amount of idly shaped terracotta cakes.

• These were probably used in the hearths/kilns to retain heat.

• Heart warming: These hot terracotta cakes were kept in the oven at night to keep milk warm for children, one archaeologist has speculated.