12-Aug-2025
Iron-Age Settlement Discovered in Topra Kalan
Why in News?
Archaeological investigations at Topra Kalan village in Haryana have uncovered evidence of human settlements dating back to around 1500 BC; the period marked the transition from the Bronze Age (IVC) to the Iron Age.
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Contextual Reference – Topra Kalan:
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Key Archaeological Findings:
- Artifacts: Painted Grey Ware (PGW), stamped pottery, moulded bricks, beads, and various pottery types like Black-and-Red Ware.
- Structural Remains: Walls, platforms, and room-like enclosures, alongside a dome-like construction believed to be a Buddhist stupa.
Iron Age:
- Key Feature: Widespread use of iron for tools, weapons, etc. Iron making involved collecting ore, melting it, and shaping it into tools.
- Iron in India:
- Rigveda mentions ayas referring to copper/alloys but not iron.
- Atharvaveda mentions metals like rajata (silver), trapu (tin), sisa (lead) and ayas/karshnyas referring to iron metals.
- Buddhist texts and Kautilya’s Arthashastra also mentioned ironworking.
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Part of India |
Associated Culture |
Key Features |
Correlation to Iron Age |
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North |
Painted Grey Ware (PGW) (pottery) |
Black interiors, red exteriors, inverted firing technique |
Iron artifacts found at PGW sites – Ganga valley |
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Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) (pottery) |
Fine, wheel-made, highly polished black pottery |
Widespread use of iron (Second Urbanisation) |
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South |
Megalithic culture |
Iron-smelting furnaces (Vidarbha); iron slag (TN) |
Prominent representative of Iron Age in the region |
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Malwa (central) |
Iron Age sites |
Time period: 750–500 BCE |
Important sites: Nagda, Eran, and Ahar |
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Middle and Lower Ganga Valley |
Iron Age sites |
Post-Chalcolithic pre-NBPW sites (750–700 BCE) |
Sites: Pandu Rajar Dhibi, Mahisdal, Chirand, and Sonpur |