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CHAPTER 3

WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS IN COPPER

HOARD PHASE

Since the first discovery of a Copper Harpoon at Bithur in

Kanpur District in 1822, over 1300 copper weapons and

implements of a similar range have been found in different region

of India, mostly in Hoard. Archaeologists refer to them as copper

hoard. More than Hundred sites spread over a large geographical

area from Shalozan in North-West Pakistan to Hullur (Karnataka)

in the South and Bhagrapir (Odisha) in the East to Khurdi

Rajasthan in the west have been found.1 This type of weapons and

implements have been founded in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya

Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Bihar,

Jharkhand, Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,

Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the Ganga-Doab region. The

number of weapons and implements found together varies from 1

to 47, except in the case of Gungeria in Madhya Pradesh, where

424 weapons and implements weighting over 200 kg were found in

a single hoard, along with 102 silver objects. Since most of the

copper hoard discoveries were accidental and the objects were not

found in a stratified context. From that time till today these kinds

of copper Hoard weapons and implements are being found

repeatedly, made up of pure copper. In view of this, the site of

Saipai (in district Etawah), where the copper Hoard type weapons

and implements were found in the course of an excavation in an

OCP level, is especially important.

Firstly, came into being and comprehensive survey of these

weapons by V.A. Smith in 1905.2 Later on Hiranand Shastri

discovered some more weapons, including the famous antennae

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sword from Bithur, Bulandshahar and Hardoi. Some scholars like

Heine-Geldern (1936, 1956), S. Piggott (1944, 1950), B.B. Lal

(1951, 1972), Beongard – Lavin and Deopic (1957), Lohuizende

Leeuw (1960), S.P. Gupta (1963, 1965), Y.D. Sharma (1964), D.P.

Agrawal (1969, 1971, 2000), Paul Yule (1985, 1989), D.P. Sharma

(1991, 2002) and many other have made important contributions

to the understanding of the problem of the copper-Hoard.3 R.

Heine - Geldern4 first wrote his views in his paper on the

“Archaeological Traces of the Vedic Aryan” and followed in up a

year later in his paper on the “New light on the Aryan Migration to

India” in both of which he recognized the Aryans as the

Introducers of the copper implements in India. B.B. Lal in his

paper on “Further copper Hoards from the Gengatic Basin and a

review of the problem”, pointed out the obvious anomaly between

the specialized object of apparent western inspiration and those

from the Ganga plains Heine – Geldern’s latest views were

expressed in his paper on ‘The coming of the Aryans and the End

of the Harappan civilization.5 A large number of sites from, where

various types of weapons and implements made up of copper, have

been found. Some specialists or archaeologists divide them in

three parts, war and hunting, agriculture and household

implements. These weapons and implements have been found from

various areas of India. In the first category war and hunting

weapons are arrowheads, Swords, Antennae sword, hook swords,

spearheads, Lance head, Parasu, Harpoon, double axe, hooked

spear etc. Second category agricultural implements are including

axe, flat axe, shouldered axe, Lugged souldred axe, celt, bar celt or

bar axe, chisel axe, socketed axe, chisel, wood chisel or Khurpi,

tanged wood chisel and in third category, household implements

are Knife, Razor, Ring, Anthropomorphic and fish hook etc.

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Extent

Copper hoard weapons and implements were found at different

places like Bithur, Fatehgarh, Bisauli, Parihar, Sarthauli, Manpur,

Bahadrabad, Nasirpur, Baharia, Saipai, Rajpur Prasu, Shahabad,6

Shaharanpur, Unao, Amroha, Sitapur, Etawah, Kiratpur etc.

(U.P.), Khurdi, Ganeshwar, Padaliya, Noh etc. (Rajasthan), Hansi,

Rewari,7 Dadri, Ambala, Bhiwani, Jind, Narnaund, Jhajjar

(Haryana), Gungeria, Pondi, Tamani (Madhya Pradesh), Bugunda,

Kausalya (Bihar), Saguni, Palamau, Manbhum, Ranchi, Hami,

Nankom, Bassia, Biru, Kamdara, Kera, Harru Chowra Drah

(Jharkhand), Tamajuri, Kalgara (Bengal) Mayurbhanj, Deneria,

Bhagrapir, Kaushalya (Orisha), Modhera, Mehsana, Kansana

(Gujarat), Kallur (Karnatak) Moongalaar tea Estate (Kerala),

Shavinipatt (Tamilnadu) etc. Copper hoard has a large

geographical area from Shalozan in North-West Pakistan to Hallur

(Karnataka). Latest research showed Tamilnadu, Shavinipatt in

southernest place and Bhagrapir (Odisha) in the east to Khurdi

(Rajasthan) in the west.8

Distribution

The copper Hoards have a very wide distribution, throughout

mostly in North India. The entire area can be divided into three

different zones on the basis of the typology of artifacts that have

been found in the hoards9 (Makkhanlal 1980-81).

Zone A comprises Bengal, Bihar and Orisha. This zone is

characterized by the occurrence of flat celts, shouldred celt, bar

celt and double axe.

Zone B includes the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and the

characteristics weapons & implements are the Anthropomorphs,

Antennae swords, hooked swords and Harpoon. This zone includes

implements of Zone A like flat celt, shouldered celt and bar celts.10

Zone C comprises Rajasthan where only flat celts and bar celt

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have been found.

It appears that their main focus was the Ganga valley from

the typology and distribution of the Hoards. Some scholars are of

the opinion that copper objects from other regions, such as those

from the North-Western parts of the sub continent, should also be

taken as belonging to the copper Hoard culture.11 Thus the shaft

hole axe-Adze from Mohenjodaro, the shaft-hole axe from Shahi

tump and the trunion celt from Shalozn and Antennae sword from

fort Munro were included as being associated with copper Hoards.

It will be clear from the typology of the copper Hoards that these

weapons and implements are not characteristic of the hoard from

the Ganga Valley and hence do not belong to the copper hoard

culture (Heine-Geldren 1936 and 1937).

Map 3.1 Showing the Distribution of Copper Hoards and Other Bronze & Copper Implements

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Chronology

The copper Hoards hang in a sort of Chronological vacuum

for the simple reason that none of them has so far been found

associated with any habitational deposit in a stratified dig. V.A.

Smith dated these weapons and implements to c. 2000 BC., S.

Piggot12 and Y.D. Sharma keep them between 1750 to 1000 B.C.,

B.B. Lal13 assigns them the date of C. 1200 B.C., Gordon suggests

C. 800 B.C. and H.D. Sankalia has given C. 1500 B.C. as their

date. However, on the basis of the stylistic comparison and

circumstantial evidence, these can be assigned to post Harappan

period. The copper hoard and Chalcolithic culture existed side by

side during the period from circa 1700 BC to 1000 BC. These

discoveries come to light accidentally but on the basis of

circumstantial evidence. They have been associated with what goes

by the acronym Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) which is founded in

western U.P., Haryana and Rajasthan. They have been associated

with Harappans – rather Later Harappan and therefore they can

generally be placed roughly in the second millennium BC, may be

between C. around 1800-1200 B.C.14

In absence of any C-14 date, copper hoard cannot be

precisely dated. On the basis of available TL date, the OCP sites in

the central upper Ganga valley have been broadly placed in the

date bracket of C. 2000 BC – 1300 BC. Except Ganeshwar in

Rajasthan, the copper hoard dates may be kept circa 1700 BC to

1200 BC.

Origin and Development

The origin and development of copper hoard is the knottiest

problem. S.P. Gupta (1963 : 1965) has attempted to trace the

evolutionary stage of copper hoard by an exhaustive study.

According to him copper hoard area divided into three provinces.15

On this basis their provenances, zone A comprised the Bihar

region which probably was the origin of copper hoards because of

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different types of weapons and implements found from the region

are simple such as flat celt, shouldered celts, bar celt, chisel and

rings. The technique employed in the manufacturing of tool

include simple forging, hammering and rudimentary casting. Zone

B Ganga–Yamuna doab where we come across such specialized

type weapons and implements as barbed harpoon, spearhead with

mid-rib and anthropomorphs. Zone B indicates more advanced

form of manufacturing techniques including casting, forging, filling

etc. Zone B suggests that perhaps these were locally produced in

the Ganga-Yamuna valley. It shows the migration of weapon and

implements ‘Zone A’ to ‘Zone B’. Both zones as suggested by S.P.

Gupta, correspond to two successive stage of development of this

industry, both in time and space.16

It is clear that copper hoard originated in Jharkhand where

the ore is also available. In the beginning, celt and ring were made

and then new specialized items such as swords, Harpoons,

spearheads and anthropomorphs were fashioned. Swords and

spears are weapons of war and they were necessary for the people

to fight with Aryan’s who were on their estward march in the

Ganga Valley. Gupta’s view is that actual migration of people from

Zone A and Zone B must have taken place.

Some Scholar’s suggest that the copper shouldered celt and

bar celt of ‘Zone A’ have been copied from similar stone tools of the

neolithic phase which also proves that ‘Zone A’ was the original

home of this industry where the weapons and implements followed

the stone age culture.

A. WEAPONS OF WAR AND HUNT

A large number of copper hoard weapons have been found

from different places in India. These are mostly reported unearthed

region and a few number occurred with OCP composition and a

very few reported Harappan sites. Since 1822 to till now, these

weapons traced by Archaeologists are displayed at Archaeological

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museum. After exhausted survey, we can explain the weapons and

its type. These weapons include arrowheads, simple swords,

antennae swords, hook swords, spearheads, lance heads, Parasu

or Hatchets, and Harpoons etc. Each weapon is made of pure

copper, some archaeologists associate these weapons with red

pottery of OCP affinity. Unfortunately the details of these copper

object have not been found so far. Nevertheless, the discovery is

significant to demonstrate that OCP users were also engaged in the

activities of war and hunt for survival as well as livelihood.17

1. Arrowhead

Agrawal’s exploration and excavations at Ganeshwar and its

vicinity in 1979 yielded a rich collection of copper weapons and

implements. Four hundred, Arrowheads were found there's.18 Some

Arrowheads are without holes and tang. These simple arrowheads

have a superficial resemblance to several Harappan examples. At

least it is certain that all are fashioned from relatively thin (c. 1.0

mm) sheet metal. The original wooden shafts have been overlaped

the arrowheads and was glued. In view of this and the large

number of still unpublished example from there, a typology of

arrowheads seems premature at this time. Extant arrowheads have

appeared in stratified contexts only at Bagor and Ganeshwar in

Rajasthan and further Navdatoli in South. Measurement length

ranges 2.0 cm to 6.1 cm mean 3.01 cm and width of arrowhead

0.82 to 2.41 : 1, mean 1.22 : 1 cm.19 The use of arrowheads

suggest that the economy of Ganeshwar people was still largely

dependent on fishing and hunting.

2. Sword

Numerous swords have been tracked down in different parts

of India, particularly Ganga-Yamuna doab. Archaeologists divide

them into three category specimens which differ in their size,

shape, particularly the length. It may be suggested that those

specimens which measure less than 45 cm. in length would have

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served better as dagger than swords. V.A. Smith is inclined to

regard some of the specimens as spearheads though he was the

person who termed them as ‘sword’ initially.20 There are three

types of sword.

a. Antennae Sword : The antennae hilted swords are called so

because they have antennae like bifurcation at the hilt-end and

are mostly found from the Ganga-Yamuna doab with exception of

Modhera (Mehsana) in Gujarat (Pl. 3.1) and Kallur in Andhra

Pradesh.21 D.P. Agrawal thinks that the antennae swords could

have been used for killing or wounding big game and writes that

they are cast with the antennae as one piece and have long blade

with short hilt, a sharp median ridge and their length varies

between 42 cm to 75 cm. More than seventy swords have been

reported from Shahabad, Kanpur, Bithur, Fatehgarh, Unao,

Bisauli, Chandausi (U.P.), Mehsana (Gujarat), Riwari (Haryana)

and Kallur Andhra Pradesh etc. The Antennae hilted swords are of

two types.

Plate 3.1 Antennae Sword from Mehsana (Gujarat)

Type I : It is comparatively bigger in size and its length ranges

between 56.9 cm – 76.6 cm and weight ranges between 1238 –

2380 grams. These have long broad and leaf-shaped blade with

midrib. Its section is slightly concave. It has a rectangular handle

of about 6-20 cm in length22 also. Mostly this type of Antennae

swords occurred in middle Ganga-Yamuna doab.

Type – II :

Its length ranges between 40.5 – 47.5 cm and its average

weight is 458.87 grams. It has a shorter leaf–shaped blade with

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more distinct midrib but a shorter grip about 4 cm long. These

type antennae swords were occurred mostly in upper Ganga-

Yamuna doab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharastra, Karnataka, Kerla,

Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan (Yule 1989, 1990 & Lahiri 1996). The

National Museum, New Delhi has mostly swords of type I from the

localities of Ganga-Yamuna doab region. The type II swords are of

three sub type, i.e. type IIa, Low angle Antennae (10-20 cm), type

IIb – high angle antennae (30-45 cm) and type IIc middle angle

antennae (20-30 cm). The author (Sharma, 1988), Gupta (1987),

Paul (1989) and Madhuri (1997) has described in detail about

antennae sowrds of type I, which are in National Museum, New

Delhi collection. Madhuri (1997) observed all these antennae

swords collected from various regions Ganga-Yamuna doab have

similarities in shape with the antennae swords of Mehsana, Kallur,

Chandoli and Rewari. This seems to provide clinching evidence of

the doab definites of the Mehsana and Kullar type finds.

Antennae sword type I and type II details in measurements,

Profile edge and lodeged at place.

S. No.

Weapons Find Spot & State

Measurement Length X breadth X

thickness (cm)

Weight Section and nature of

Edge

Reference

1. Antennae

Sword

Shahabad,

U.P.

56.9×5.9×0.76 — Triangular, Broken tip

National Museum, Delhi

2. Antennae

Sword

Rewari

(Haryana)

41.9×4.0×0.6 300 gm Triangular Shaped tip and midrib

3. Antennae

Sword

Rewari

(Haryana)

37.7×3.23×0.59 300 gm Three fragment, edge curled

4. Antennae

Sword

Rewari

(Haryana)

28.4×3.9×0.7 250 gm Three fragment, leaf shaped Blade

Kanya Gurukul Museum, Narela

5. Antennae

Sword

Bithur (U.P.) 40.5×5.5×0.92 458.87

gm

Leaf shaped blade and biconvex

Archaeological Museum, Combride

6. Antennae

Sword

Moradabad

(U.P.)

38.5×9.3×0.63 295 gm Pointed and sharp with midrib

Municipal Museum, Allahabad

7. Antennae

Sword

Kallur

(Karanataka)

96.0×6.0×1.0 — Biconvex, Broken Blade

State Museum, Hydrabad

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8. Antennae

Sword

Kallur

(Karanataka)

67.0×5.0×0.75 — Rectanglular Blade and Biconvex

9. Antennae

Sword

Kallur

(Karnataka)

75.0×5.0×75 — Triangular Blade, sharp and biconvex

10. Antennae

Sword

Mahasana

(Gurjrat)

55.6×10.3×0.82 395 gm

(Pl.3.2)

Triangular sharp Blade, midrib

11. Antennae

Sword

Mehsana

(Gujarat)

53.5×13.2 butt ×

0.8

490 gm

(Pl.3.3)

Pointed Blade, biconvex


12. Antennae

Sword

Rewari

(Haryana)

41.7×2.65×0.51 240 gm Triangular tip and biconvex

13. Antennae

Sword

Hansi

(Haryana)

44.3×7.19×1.88 900 gm

(Pl.3.4)

Very Sharp triangular tip with mid-rib

Kanya Gurukul, Narela

14. Antennae

Sword

Shahabad

(U.P.)

47.0 × 5.11 — Tip of Blade, Bent over edges curls


15. Antennae

Sword

Fatehgarh

(U.P.)

42.41×3.68×(?) — Biconvex prominent midrib, tang bifurcates into insects like antennae

Ancient India No. 7, P. 35, fig. 7.

16. Antennae

Sword

Shavinipatti

(Tamil Nadu)

72.39×3.81×(?) — Biconvex with midrib, tang bifurcates into insects like antennae

Puratattva No. 12, p. 128.

17. Antennae

Sword

Rewari

(Haryana)

40×2.50×0.40 — Biconvex, pointed with mid rib (Pl.3.5)

Gurukul Museum, Jhajjar

18. Antennae

Sword

Kankasa

(Gujarat)

30.5x9.6 cm – Biconvex Pointed, with midrib (Pl.3.6.1)

Yule. Paul (1985) P. 92.

19. Antennae

Sword

Moongalaar

Tea, Estate

(Kerala)

70.0x2.8x0.5 – Biconvex broad tip than blade (Pl.3.6.2)

Yule, Paul (1985) p. 92.

20. Antennae

Sword

Shahabad (UP) 25.0x4.0x1.5 – Biconvex tip bent over (Pl.3.6.3)

Ibid., 92.

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Plate 3.2 Antennae Sword (Mehsana) Plate 3.3 Copper antennae Sword (Mehsana)

Plate 3.4 Antennae Sword (Hansi) Plate 3.5 Antennae Sword (Rewari)

Plate 3.6. 1.Antennae sword(kankasa) 2. Antennae Sword (Kerala) 3. Sword Blade (Shahabad)

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Above mentioned antennae swords by Yule, Paul research

work, to regarding metal work. D.P. Sharma has completed his

research work on copper weapons and implements on antennae

swords, which are less than 40 cm in length and they appear as

antennae dagger. The advantage of antennae hilt will be that the

sword can be fixed securely in narrow clefts made in heavy wooden

legs.

b. Hooked Sword

Hooked swords are like antennae swords except that in place

of antennae there is a forked hook on the steam. So far fifteen

hooked swords have been reported from Shahabad, Kanpur,

Unnao, Saharanpur, Nasirpur (Pl.3.7), Niorai, Manpur, Beharia,

Bahadrabad, Saipai, Sarthauli etc. sites, in western Uttar Pradesh.

Hooked swords range in length betweem 43.6 – 47.0 cm. It has a

sharply profiled midrib and highly concave side in section with a

hook bent toward middle of the grip.23 Eleventh hooked swords

lodge at National Museum, New Delhi from Ganga-Yamuna doab

region. A hooked sword is more sophisticated than harpoon and

differs in technology with the harpoon. The hooked sword has a

hook and its surface is smoother and well finished.

Plate 3.7 Hooked Sword from Nasirpur

Hooked swords Acc. No. 87-22/2 of Saharanpur has a

prominent medial ridge and a curved hook at the tang. It’s

measurement is length 34 cm and 9.3cm breadth. The medial rib

produces a lozenge shaped section. The point of blade is semi

circular. The tang is crude, heavy and flat. Two such swords were

also reported from Sarthauli and Etawah.24 Another hooked sword

(Acc. No. 87-2214) of Shahabad is little different from the above.

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It’s measurement range length 44 cm and 6.4 breadth sword blade

has medial ridge is prominent and concave. The tang is

rectangular and small. Sword resembles each one from

Bulandshahar, Saipai and two from Bahadrabad. The hook in

these swords differ from Harappan swords as the later have a hole

instead of a hook smooth and well-finished.

These type of swords were used in war for cutting smashing,

thrusting, killing men and animals. These have very sharp blades.

S. No.

Weapon Find spot & state

Measurement Length x Breadth x Thickness (cm)

Cross Section

Nature of Edge

Reference

1. Hooked Swords

Baharia (U.P.)

45.48×7.50×? Biconvex Midrib blade tapers towards points

Puratattva No. 5, pp. 42-43.

2. Hooked Swords

Sarthauli (U.P.)

38.80×5.20×1.20 Biconvex Long pointed blade, midrib

Ancient India No. 7, p. 30.

3. Hooked Swords

Saipai (U.P.)

49.14×6.80×? Biconvex Long blade tapering with prominent medical rib

Puratattva No. 5, pp. 46-49.

4. Hooked Sword

Narnaund (Haryana)

44.50×7.5×1.0 Biconvex (Pl.3.8)

Pointed with mid-rib, two hole on tang

Gurukul Museum, Jhajjar

Plate 3.8 Hooked Sword from Narnaund

c. Simple Sword

These consist of a long blade and a tang. The length varies

30-50 cm. The blade has a prominent mid rib having both cutting

edges sharp. The tip of sword is pointed sharp. The cross section of

blade is lenticular. It should be noted that in some cases the

swords of this category are smaller than those of category (I). The

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total number of such swords are not more detailed. A few of them

are listed in the table.

S. No.

Find Spot & State

Weapon Measurement Length x Breadth x Thickness (cm)

Cross Section

Nature of Edge

Reference

1. Sarthauli (U.P.)

Sword or Spearhead

51.20×6.40×1.20 Biconvex Both the edges

Prominent midrib, tang,

blade not pointed

Ancient India No. 7,

p. 30.

2. Sarthauli (U.P.)

Sword or Spearhead

30.00×6.00×0.80 Biconvex Midrib blade,

triangular tip

Ibid, p. 30, No. 5

3. Sarthauli (U.P.)

Sword or Spearhead

44.00×7.20×1.30 Biconvex As Above Ibid, p. 30, No. 3

4. Rewari Sword 34.2 (Pres.) x 4.6 x 0.62

Concave edges, two

holes

Triangular tip with midrib

Yule, Paul (1985) P. 93.

5. Rewari Sword 33.9 x 1.5 x 1.5 (500 gm)

Biconvex Long blade triangular

shaped (Pl. 3.9)

Ibid. 93.

Plate 3.9 Simple Sword from Rewari

3. Spearhead

Spearhead is the common weapon of copper hoard people.

These are reported from Shahabad25 Kanpur, Nasirpur, Khera

Madanpur, Saipai, Unnao, Sarthauli (Pl. 3.10) and Sheorajpur26 in

Uttar Pradesh. All these weapons are more than 28 inches long

and, in spite of their long blades, these should be taken to be

spearhead and not the swords. It appears that spear was used by

copper hoard people for hand to hand fight and throwing for

hunting. These spearheads have midrib, prominent a wooden long

shaft fitted in the tang for hand projecting by hand. These blades

are of two types. They are mostly leaf shaped and pointed.

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Plate 3.10 Copper Spearhead from Sarthauli

Some spearheads details are given here in the following table.

S.

No.

Weapon Find Spot & State

Measurement Length x Breadth x

Thickness (cm)

Cross

Section

Nature of Edge

Profile

Acc. No. Reference

1. Spearhead Shahabad

(U.P.)

27×5.2 Triangular Biconvex edge and midrib

85.176 National Museum, New Delhi Puratattva No. 16, p. 98.


(U.P.)

19.9 ×1.8 Triangular Long Blade 85.182 Sharma, D.P.

(2002), p. 28


(U.P.)

6.4 × 3.1 Leaf shaped Biconvex and sharp Blade (Fragmentory)

86.59/37 Sharma, D.P.

(2002), p. 39


(U.P.)

5.8 × 38 Leaf shaped Fragmentory Blade 86.59/38 Sharma, D.P.

(2002), p. 34.

5. Spearhead Kanpur

(U.P.)

39.8 × 6.1 Leaf shaped Sharp and with tang

86.59/34 Sharma, D.P.

(2002), p. 38

6. Spearhead Kanpur

(U.P.)

24 × 6 Leaf shaped Sharp Blade Biconvex

86.59/38 Ibid, p. 38

7. Spearhead Unnao (U.P.) 6.7 × 3.5 — Fragmentory Blade 86.59/36 Ibid, p. 38

8. Spearhead Narnaund

(Haryana)

44.5×7.13 ×1.88 Leaf shaped Two hole on Butt, with midrib 900 gm

9. Spearhead Narnaund

(Haryana)

43.7×6.13 ×2.80 Leaf shaped With Midrib sharp (1350 gm) (Pl. 3.11)

Dangi Vivek

(2010), p. 359.

Plate 3.11 Copper Spearhead from Narnaund

A spearhead from Sheorajpur has a leaf shaped blade with

prominent midrib which produce a fine lozenge shaped section.

There is a small flat tang. The upper portion of this spear is

broken. The maximum width is 5 cm. Both the edges are partly

damaged. The tang is roughly 4.4 cm long and circular in section.

Second spearhead from Sheorajpur is broken at the blade end,

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also its sides are partially damaged. It has a maximum length of

18.2 cm. It has slightly longish flat tang, its power end is more or

less like an antennae. The blade has a lozenge shaped section.27

Two leaf shaped hook spear trace from Narnaul in Haryana have a

sharply profile middle rib and highly concave side. There are two

holes on the butt probably to fit a wooden handle; Hammer butt. A

hooked spear has been discovered from Nasirpur, It has triangular

shaped, long blade with midrib and long tang with one barb

(Pl.3.12).

Plate 3.12 Copper Spearhead from Nasirpur

4. Lance Head

Remanants of Lance Head has been found from Etawah,

Sarthauli, Saipai and Khera Kanpur (U.P.). These are different

from spear. These are different in length and sharply pointed than

spear. In size and overall form, lance head superficially resemble

type III harpoon, but are without barbs. Lance head blades have a

medial ridge and usually concave edges. Hammered tang is roughly

rectangular in section. In most cases a hook which curved

backward was split off from the tang on one edge of fix the hand to

the pole. Two lance head from Sarthauli lack this hook, which

weaken their identification as lance heads. These type of lance

head mostly occurred in mid to upper doab often directly to the

west of the Ganges. A lance head from Etawah measurements 36.2

cm length × 5.74 cm breadth and 0.9 cm thickness hook corroded.

Another lance head has been discovered from unknown area,

measurement 45.89 length × 6.65 cm breadth, 1.24 cm thickness

and weight 952.2 gram. Similarly another lance head has been

found from unknown place, having measurement length 73.02 cm,

breadth 10.16 cm.28

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5. Harpoon

Harpoons are similar in shape to those copper hoards occur

among bone implements of Magdalenian culture (upper paleolithic

phase) widely removed from the copper hoard in time and space.

Though simple bards from Transcaucasia, Talish and Luristan in

Iran are known, they could scarcely have, in spite of the insistence

of Heine-Gelden, 1936, 1937, inspired the Indian specimens.

Similarly the multi barbed mesolithic horn harpoons mentioned by

Gorden, 1958, cannot have anything to do with the copper hoard

ones. The intermediate land-mass has not yet yielded specimens to

suggest any cultural link. On the contrary nearer home the

harpoon are comparable with the one depicted on the cave painting

at Ghormangur, Dt. Mirzapur (Pl.3.13), and indicate the source of

inspiration as suggest by Lal.29 numerous Harpoons have been

reported in different parts of India like Shahabad, Bisauli, Bithur,

Amroha, Sitapur, Rajpur Prasu, Nasirpur (Pl.3.14), Beheria, Niorai,

Prior, Saipai (U.P.), Narnaund in Haryana and Bhadla in Punjab.30

A miscellaneous. Harapoon discovered from Bandarkala in U.P.

has measuring 31.7 cm Length, 9.6 cm breadth, 2.4 cm thickness

and 885 gm. It is triple headed, with midrib, two hole both side for

the attached wooden shaft. (Pl.3.15)

Plate 3.13 Rhirnoceros Hunts. Ghormangur Cave, Mirzapur (U.P.) Perhaps the barbed harpoons were hafted in wooden poles and used as spears.

172

Plate 3.14 Copper Harpoon (Nasirpur) Plate 3.15 Misc. Harpoon (Bendarkala)

These are long barbed arrow-shaped specimens. These have

strong medial rib and tapering blades. The middle part contains

finely curved barbs of cylindrical section. At the junction of the

barbed portion and the tang is a hole which was used for passing a

cord for tying it to a shaft. It was cast and finished with a hammer

by Metal smith. The Harpoons we get from Ganga-Yamuna doab

(Pl.3.16) (Pl.3.17), Lahiri (1996), Yule (1985-1989) and Madhuri

(1997) have classified harpoon in three basic type as follows31:

Plate 3.16 Copper Harpoon Plate 3.17 Copper Harpoon (Ganga Yamuna doab) (Ganga Yamuna doab)

Type I

Its length range between 17.5 and 28.6 cm and weight 215

and 915 gm. It has a short bedded tip. It has 4 to 6 angularly

173

disposed straight barbs with an eyelet on one side below the barbs.

This type of specimen resembles with middle Ganga-Yamuna doab

region. The National Museum has some harpoons of this type from

Kanpur, Hardoi, Shahabad, Sitapur, Mainpuri (Pl.3.18).

Plate 3.18 Harpoon type-I (Mainpuri) Plate 3.19 Harpoon Type-II (Saipai)

Type II

Type II harpoons are smaller in size as compared to type I.

Their length ranges between 20.8 – 42.8 cm and weight between

360 to 450 gm. Yule, Lahiri (1996) and Madhuri (1997) subdivided.

Type II as type IIa and type IIb. Type IIa have long blade tip and 4

to 6 cm in length. The curved book barbs have an eyelet on one

side of the barbs. The National Museum has mostly type IIb. Type

IIa and type IIb harpoons are found in upper Ganga-Yamuna doab

region and also in some adjoining areas of Haryana. This type

specimen reported from Saipai has been measuring 30.2cm

Length, 5.8 cm breadth, 1.87 cm thickness and 660 gm. weight. It

has leaf–shaped blade and three barbs attached on the tang

(Pl.3.19).

174

Type III

The type III harpoons length ranges between 36.8 and 44.3

cm and weight 475 and 1000 gm. Type III harpoons have large

number of straight barbs and we found this type in Northeast

Rajasthan and Haryana. We have large collections of this type III in

Jhajjar Museum Haryana. The National Museum, New Delhi does

not have a single harpoon of the type III. On the basis of

stratigraphical finds, the earliest date of copper Harpoons. They

can go up to late mature Harappan period (2300 B.C.). Nayanjyot

Lahiri (1996) observed:

“Its primary stratigraphical correlation is with the

specimen found in the O.C.P. deposit at Saipai district

Etawah in the doab and its adjoining region. It is

supposed to occur in period IIIB, a late Harappan

deposit of Mitathal in Haryana”.

On this basis, the present author concluded that the lugged

shouldered axes or alleged anthropomorphic figures were also

discovered from deposit of mature Harappan level of Lothal and

now one can say with confirmation that on the basis of above

stratigraphical findings of copper hoard implement from Lothal,

Saipai and Mitathal that the authors of copper hoard or early

Aryans were late contemporaries of late mature Harappan people

(2500-2000 B.C.).

S. No.

Weapon Find Spot & State

Measurement Length x Breadth x Thickness (cm)

Section Edge Profile

Acc. No. Reference

1. Harpoon Shahabad (U.P.)

33.5×7.2×? Biconvex 5 Pair Barbs and midrib

65.256 National Museum, New Delhi Collection


36×6.1×? Biconvex Sharply Blade with three pair Barb and mid rib

66.29 Puratattva No. 16, p. 97.


19×4.2×? Biconvex Two pairs and four pair Barbs and midrib

67.138 Puratattva No. 16, p. 97.

175


35.7×6.8×? Biconvex Four pair Barbes and with Midrib

67.140 Puratattva No. 16, p. 97


25×6×? Biconvex Barbs and Pointed Blade with midrib



16×3.6×? Biconvex Three Barbs, A hole on the tang



38×5×? Biconvex Three pair barbs and with midrib

86.22/3 Sharma, D.P. (2002), p. 39.

8. Harpoon ? (U.P.) 32.5×1×? Biconvex Four Curved Barbs and with Midrib


9. Harpoon ? (U.P.) 39×6×? Biconvex Four curved barbs toward tang

84.388 Ibid, p. 98

10. Harpoon ? (U.P.) 31.5×6.5×? Biconvex Three Long pair Barbs with Mid-rib

86.5 Ibid, p. 98

11. Harpoon Amroha (U.P.)

16.4×13.6×? Biconvex Three pair bards, with midrib

86.2 Sharma D.P. (2002), p. 28.

12. Harpoon Sitapur (U.P.) 20.5×4.7×? Biconvex Two Pair barb and pointed

87.22/5 Ibid., p. 40.

13. Harpoon Kanpur (U.P.) 26×7.5×? Biconvex Fragmentary Tip broken

86.59/32 Puratattva No. 16, p. 99

14. Harpoon Kanpur (U.P.) 31×5.5×? Biconvex With Barbs and midrib

87.79/2 Sharma, D.P. (2002), p. 46.

15. Harpoon Kanpur (U.P.) 30.5×7.1×? Biconvex Three pairs barbs with midrib

87.79/4 Ibid. p. 47.

16. Harpoon Kanpur (U.P.) 24.5×3.6 Biconvex With Barbs and midrib

87.79/5 Puratattva No. 16, p. 99

17. Harpoon Kanpur (U.P.) 30×5.7×? Biconvex With Barbs and Midrib

87.79/6 Sharma, D.P. (2002), p. 49.

18. Harpoon Bisauli (U.P.) 43.20×6.00×1.20 Biconvex Three pairs of Barbs with a hole, Blade sharped

— Ancient India, No. 7, p. 23.

19. Harpoon Sarthauli (U.P.)

28×5.20×1.20 Biconvex Four Pairs barbs with a hole lug

— IA, No. 7, p. 30.

20. Harpoon Baharia (U.P.)

39.50×7.50×? — Three Pairs incurved sharp blade with midrib, tang hooked

— Puratattva No. 5, p. 42-43

176

21. Harpoon Saipai (U.P.) 21.84×4.20×? Biconvex Long

pointed Blade both the edges sharp three pair barbs

— Ibid. p. 46-49.

22. Harpoon Mitathal (Haryana)

22.50×4.50×? Diamond Shaped

Four pairs of curved barbs, a hole at the tang, Blade flat

— Suraj Bhan (1975), p. 66.

23. Harpoon ? (Haryana) 29×4.5×1.5 Biconvex (Pl.

3.20.1)

10 Pair Barbs and two apart U.P. and down at tang not long

— Panipat Museum, Haryana.

24. Harpoon (Type-3)

Narnaund (Haryana)

43.5×5.05×1.9 Biconvex (Pl.

3.20.2)

15 pairs barbs two hook near the butt (1050 gram weight)

— Dangi , Vivek (2010), p. 359.

25. Harpoon Orai (U.P.) 29.4×8.8×2.00 Biconvex Three pair long barbs. Two Hole on the tang (730 gm).

— Pragdhara No. 19, p. 174

26. Harpoon Orai (U.P.) 18.4×5×1.9 Biconvex Three Pair Barbs, One Hole on tang

— Ibid., p. 174

27. Harpoon Narnaund 39×4.0×2.0 Biconvex (Pl. 3.21)

Eleven pair barbs pointed

—

28. Harpoon Hansi 37×8.0×1.20 Biconvex (Pl. 3.22)

Eight pair long barb

—

Jhajjar Museum Gurukul, Haryana

29. Harpoon Hansi 44.0x4.86x1.97 Biconvex (Pl. 3.23)

15 pair barbs two hooked attach near the butt

— Yule, Paul (1985), p. 89.

30. Harpoon Baharia (U.P.)

33.8x6.3x2.1 (805 gm)

Biconvex

Four pair

barbs with a hole.

(Pl.3.24.3) Yule, Paul

(1985), p. 88.

31. Harpoon Provenance unknown

37.3x6.0x2.1 Biconvex

Two pair

barb and a hole on the tang

(Pl.3.24.4) Ibid.


33.5 (Pres,) x 5.7x2.2

Biconvex

Three pair barb, a hole on the tang

(Pl.3.24.7) Ibid.

33. Harpoon Rewari 20.8x5.27x2.05 Biconvex Two pair barbs

(Pl.3.24.6) Ibid.

177


36.8x6.4 Biconvex Three pair

barbs and two hole both side

(Pl.3.24.5) Ibid.


30.48x5.71 Biconvex Three pair

barbs, hole

(Pl.3.24.1) Ibid.

36. Harpoon Shahabad 35.0x6.95 Biconvex Four pair barbs, a hole

(Pl.3.24.2) Ibid.

Plate 3.20 1. Copper Harpoon. From Panipat (?) 2. Harpoon type-3 from Narnaund in Hissar District (Haryana)

Plate 3.21 Copper Harpoon (Narnaund) Plate 3.22 Copper Harpoon (Hansi)

178

Plate 3.23 Harpoon Type-III (Hansi) Plate 3.24 Copper Hoard. 1,3,4,5,7 Harpoons From Pro. Unknown. 2. Harpoon from Shahabad. 6. Harpoon from Rewari. These harpoons are like a mid-ribbed spearhead with oblique

or backward curving barbs; quite often with a hole on a lug. These

have been marked by hammering from cutting a thick copper sheet

and cast in a double mould. These harappan could be used as

spearheads for big game as shown by Cockburn or as harpoon for

killing large fish.32

6. Parasu or Hatchet

Parasu (Length 7.6 – 16.5 cm.) are classified as type II of

‘double axes’ by Yule. But the contrast between the two types is so

striking that it has to be diagnosed as a completely independent

type. They have in plan two bilaterally diametrical cutting edges,

one at each end of the bow shaped blade. Invariably the cutting

edges are broader than the middle of the blade and are usually

convex. The wooden handle will be set in the middle.33 A single

Parasu has been found in the copper hoard assemblage from

Sarthauli.34 It has measurement 17.29 cm in length, 22 cm in

breadth and edge is not sharp. The Hammer marks are visible on

its surface. It was originally cast but in order to give the final

tough, some trimming was done with the hammer. A copper

Parasu has been traced at Shahabad in U.P., Length 13.5 cm, it

has sharped blade, biconvex edge. A wooden shaft fitted into

179

butt.35 Parasu on Hatchet was probably used in war and hunting

purpose. We may recall that Parasu or Hatchet have also been

recovered from Pre-Harappan site Kalibangan, Late Harappan site

Mitathal and Khurada Copper-Hoard assemblage. A connection

between the copper hoard in Rajasthan and those of the Ganges

Doab cannot be rulled out.36 A parasu has been discovered from

Nasirpur. It has very sharp crescent edge and with long tang for

attached the wooden shaft (Pl.3.25).

Plate 3.25 Copper Parasu from Nasirpur

7. Disc

Disc with a plain surface and chisel marks on its periphery

bears a thick coat of green patina measurement 7.5 cm Dia. × 0.4

cm Thickness and 160 gram weight.37 It has been reported from

Orai in Bundel Khand. Similarly a disc or scale-pan occurred from

Rewari in Haryana measurement of it 5.6 cm Dia 0.08 cm

thickness Hammered from sheet copper.38 It is unique in the sense

that no such weapon has ever been found. The solitary disc with

its blunt edge appears to represent an unfinished object. Although

we are not aware of the exact function of this disc, presumably it

represents an unfinished seal-pan (?). It is developed into a Chakra

(wheel) the famous weapon of Lord Vishnu.39

8. Double Axe

Double axes are of rare occurrence in copper hoards, ten

specimens have been reported at Bhagrapir in Odisha.40 The

double axe motif was quite common in west Asia in prehistoric

180

times and probably it had religious affiliation. It also occurs on

Indian Chalcolithic pottery where it is depicted as opposed

triangles. Double Axes, actual specimens of which have been

found, have also been described as battle axe. The specimens from

Bhagrapir are quite large and heavy, about 40 cm wide and their

edges are about 1 to 3 cm thick and it is doubtful weather they

could have even been effectively used as axes. They are made by

cutting away almost circular pieces from the sides of an oval sheet.

Five axes discovered from Parihari in West Bengal.41

Copper double axes have also been occurred in India from

other culture levels. At Harappa there are two specimens of a tool

type that recalls double axes. The caution implied in this

statement is due to the fact that the two working end are not sharp

and there kinks between the edge and the waist. Another example

of double axe have been reported from Lothal. It is slightly

different type. It is only a rectangular piece of copper flattened at

both ends and sharpened, the waist is narrow but not so

prominently as in example from the hoards. Two such examples

were reported at Hallur, District Dhashwar by M.S. Nayaraja Rao

of Dharwar. It comes from the Neolithic – Chalcolithic culture of

the southern Deccan and is ascribable to the later half of the 2nd

millennium B.C. Its butt-end is sharp and rounded in shape as the

primary working edge. The butt portion is shorter and narrower

than the primary end.42 A double axe has been measuring 27.4 cm

length, 23.9cm breadth, 0.52cm thickness and 1015 gm weight

reported from Parihati in West Bengal (Pl.3.26).

181

Plate 3.26 Double Axe from Parhati

The double axes might have been hafted in the middle for

effective cutting, which were used in war, and hunting the big

animals. It is also used to clear the forest preparing fields for

farming.

9. Hand Weapon (Pl.3.27)

A unique hand weapon has been measuring, 33.1 cm length,

8.1 cm breadth, 2.2 cm thickness, and 1000 gm, weight barbed

blade with protofiled grip found from Rewari. It is triple headed

blade, with mid rib. It may be used in thrusting and slashing like

sword.

Plate 3.27 Copper Hand Weapon from Rewari

B. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS

A large number of copper hoard agricultural implements

have been reported at different area in India. Under this category

may be included various types of axes and a probable ploughshare

bar celt, bar axe and Khurpi. It is interesting to note that the

implements of this category, particularly various axes, most

commonly occur in a large majority of copper hoards. It is

182

generally admitted that axes were being commonly used by

agricultural people for forest clearance with a view to preparing

fields. The occurrence of a good number of axes in copper hoards

may points towards the agricultural-based economy of people.

1. Axe : Different type of axe were found in India from different

regions. All axes types were divided on the basis of their shapes,

sizes and edges. Mainly three types are available of copper hoard

axes like flat axe, shouldered axe and bar celt and the sub type of

Lugged souldred axe, socketed axe, bar axe or long narrow axe etc.

Some flat axe have been displayed at National Museum, Delhi

found from Uttar Pradesh. (Pl.3.28)

Plate 3.28 Copper Flat Axes from Uttar Pradesh

(a) Flat Axe or Celt : Above three hundred specimens of this

type have been recorded from numerous places of India.

These axes have broad splayed out edge, sides converging

concavely from the blade edge of rounded or rectangular butt

end. These are traced from Shahabad, Kanpur, Haswa,

Unnao, Amroha, Sitapur, Shaharanpur, Lakhnow, Hardoi,

Nasirpur (Pl.3.29) Bithur (Pl.3.30), Handi (U.P.) Chota

Nagpur (Bihar), Khurdi, Padaliya, Ganeshwar, Elena43

(Rajasthan), Hansi, Rewari, Bhiwani, Narnaund, Dadri,

Pauli44 (Haryana), Balpur, Gungeria, Pondi, Kelsi (M.P.),

Bandua, Bartola, Dargama, Hami (Jharkhand), Kellur

(Karnataka) etc. This was the most common implement.

183

These axe or celt have been divided into four sub-types45:

Plate 3.29 Copper Flat Axes from Nasirpur Plate 3.30 Flate Axe from Bithur

(a) Long flat celt of irregular variety having edge as broad

as the butt end. Length approximately 23 cms.

(b) Triangular flat axe or celt with straight cutting edge

length 10.5 cm.

(c) Triangular flat celt or axe with crescent cutting edge,

length 16.5 cm.

(d) Oval flat axe or celt with rounded cutting edge and butt

end, length 14 cms.

D.P. Sharma gives the measurement of a numerous flat axe,

26 flat axe from Shahabad the measurement in length 5 cm to 20.6

cm long and breadth are 5 cm to 15.2 cm.46 Some blade are broken

and U shaped long, broad cutting edge and splayed butt end. It is

having, triangular, concave and rectangular shaped blade and a

few blade are oval shaped. The cutting edge is wide and sharp. Two

flat axe from Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh 9.2 to 18 cm length and 6

cm to 6.2 cm breadth one blade is long and sharp and second

blade have rectangular shape.47 Five flat axes occurred from

Unnao in Uttar Pradesh having measurement length range 9.2 cm

to 16.5 cm long and breadth 6.1 cm to 11.2 cm. Three flat axes are

broken, one U shaped blade, three crescent shape and one concave

shaped blade. The cutting edge are sharp and wide out of side.48

Eight flat axes from Kanpur, having measuring length 5.5 cm to

184

18.7 cm and breadth 4.0 cm to 11.40 cm. These axes are U

shaped, triangular, concave and crescent blade, the cutting edges

have been sharp and blunt the butt end.49 Two flat axes had traced

at Amroha in Uttar Pardesh, having measurement length 16.4 cm

to 24.0 cm, breadth 5.4 to 13.6 cm, one of them is long and

narrow and second has flourious blade sharply cutting edge.50 Two

specimen at unknown place in Uttar Pradesh has measurement

length 12.50 cm to 12.70 and breadth 8.40 to 8.50 cm. One

concave shape blade and second axe are U shaped and sharp.

Seven sub type of flat axes have been proposed by Yule, with

further sub-division in some cases, on the basis of the length-

breadth ratio and morphological features.

Type – I

Axes have nearly straight and parallel side and square

proportion (mean (1.19 : 1). It has length range 9.8 to 13.33 cm,

straight side, convex cutting edge roughly flat, convex or slightly

concave butt end. Find spots only in Haryana and adjoining

regions. An axe from Hansi District Hissar has 11.8 length × 8.1

breadth × 0.98 thickness and 500 gram weight. Edges slightly

flattened corner broke off, dark green patina, smooth surface.

Second flat axe traced at Rewari has measurement, length 9.8 ×

7.8 cm breadth × 0.71 cm thickness, some surface corrosion,

mineral deposits on surface, burn, green patina.51

Type II

This type (Length range 7cm to 16 cm, weight range 40-1230

gram) : proportionately short, slightly concave, convex or straight

side, some convex or plainly flat butt end slightly splayed cutting

edge some example reported from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

185

S. No.

Number of Implements

Find Spot & State

Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Thickness (cm)

Weight (gram)

Section Reference

1. 2 Flat axe Bithur (U.P.)

8.62-12.7

7.3-13.4 0.83-0.91 305 U shaped Allahabad and Lakhnow Museum

2. 3 Flat axe Hansi (HR)

7.0-10.58

7.9-9.0 0.54-0.74 135-260 U Shaped

3. 42 Flat axe Rewari (HR)

8.3-16.1 7.8-13.6 0.58-1.11 230-1230

U Shaped, Rectangular

Kanya Gurukul, Narela

Type IIIa

Flat axes type IIIa (Length range 8.5-9.2 cm, weight 2050–

3400 gram) : Elongated in shape with arched or flattish butt end

but invariably convex cutting edge wide distribution in Haryana

and the Doab. These are generally taper in the direction of the butt

end and are straight slightly concave or convex.

S. No.


Find Spot & State

Length range (cm)

Breadth range (cm)

Thickness range (cm)

Weight range (gram)

Section Reference

1. 1 Flat axe Bhiwani (HR)

19.9 11.1 0.76 930 gm Rectangular Kanya Gurukul, Narela.

2. 14 Flat axe Bithur (U.P.) 13.4-18.2 6.8-12.6 0.7-1.02 365-1085 Rectangular Straight concave

3. 1 flat axe Dadri (HR) 14.7 11.2 0.9 790 U shaped

4. 1 flat axe Deoti (U.P.) 9.0 11.7 0.8 535 Rectangular

Yule, Paul (1985), p. 57-58, Figure 591-604.

5. 1 flat axe Distt. Gorakhpur (U.P.)

18.5 10.6 1.0 1090 Rectangular Ibid., p. 58

6. 2 flat axe Hansi (HR) 9.5-13.0 9.3-10.42 0.88-0.98 515-640 Rectangular Kanya Gurukul, Narela

7. 1 flat axe Kosam (U.P.) 15.6 12.9 0.9 980 Rectangular Allahabad Museum

8. 1 flat axe Mujahidpur (U.P.)

17.1 13.5 1.4 1660 U Shaped State Museum Lakhnow

9. 1 flat axe Nankom (Jharkhand)

13.0 6.35 — — Rectangular Patna Museum

10. 56 flat axe Rewari (HR) 5.0-20.7 5.2-13.3 0.40-1.85 115-3400 Rectangular Yule, Paul, (1985), p. 59-61, fig. 620-76.

186

Type IIIb

The range of length of this type 16.74 to 21.3 cm, weight

540-1150 gram, the convex cutting edge winder than the body and

terminating of both sides with a slight cusp some what apparently

limited only to Rajpur Parasu in the Doab.52

Type IIIc

These may be straight or slightly curved axe. Both butt and

front end are convex and often the corners are rounded. The profile

are slightly biconvex. These type axes have been reported often

Karnataka, Western Maharastra, central Rajasthan and Ganges

mid point of the doab. There are some variations in the shape of

this sub type. Stratified examples range in date from the Neolithic

of (Karanataka) to the Jorwe Culture. A flat and rectangular axe of

this type reported at Bithur has measuring c. 9.2 cm length, 4.56

cm breadth. Similarly of this type found from Mahuandanr in

Jharkhand the measurement 9.8 length × 5.9 breadth 0.71 cm

thickness and has 205 gram weight. It has spaliting on the

surface, smooth thick green patina intact on other face. Besides of

these a flat axe of this type reported from Shahabad (U.P.). It has

15.0 length × 8.8 cm breadth × 0.9 cm thickness, edges corroded,

rear left corner.53 These type implements have length range 9.2-

16.5 cm.

Type IIId

These blades are very thin and length range 12.7-26.6 cm.

They have a convex blade, a flat butt and side which curve gently

inward. All five specimen of this type was excavated from Ahar.

Type IIIe

These axes have been length 9.6-20.1 cm and weight range c.

515-3700 gram. The blade has convex cutting edge, but

distinguished from other type III axes by their extreme thickness.

All the specimen were obtained in western Haryana.

187

S. No.

Implements Find Spot & State

Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Weight (gram)

Section Reference

1. Flat Axe Bhiwani (HR)

9.6×6.2×1.59 5.15 Rectangular Kanya Gurkul, Narela (208)

2. Flat Axe Hansi (HR)

11.6×6.66×1.4 614 Rectangular Yule, Paul (1985), p. 62, fig. 681

3. Flat Axe Hansi (HR)

14.7×5.85×1.18 1050 Rectangular Ibid, p. 63, fig. 682.

4. Flat Axe Rewari (HR)

13.2×7.22×1.27 720 Square Ibid, p. 683


13.8×8.0×1.67 1020 Rectangular Ibid, figure 684


20.1×9.2×2.4 3700 Rectangular Kanya Gurukul Narela (233)

Type IVa

These type of length range 10.0-29.21 cm, weight range 80-

90 gram typically the four corners are slightly angularly formed

usually flat, slightly rounded butt end slightly convex cutting edge

the greatest number in Haryana and some examples also in U.P.

S. No.


Find Spot & state

Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Thickness (cm)

Weight (gram)

Section Reference

1. 3 Flat axe Hansi (HR) 11.71-18.0

5.32-6.24 0.40-0.60 95-400 Rectangular Yule, Paul (1985), p. 63, fig. 686-88.

2. 23 Flat axe Rewari (HR)

5.0-21.8 3.53-6.2 0.37-1.19 60-900 Rectangular Ibid, p.63, Fig. 689- 712

3. 1 Flat axe Shahabad (U.P.)

20 5.0 — — with hole and Rectangular


Type IVb

These type of axe length range has 19.3 to 24.7 cm, weight

range 840 more than 2000 gm. These are different from type IVa in

that they are considerably larger and proportionately less

elongated well represented in North-Eastern Rajasthan and South

Western Haryana, butt occures also in the doab some bearing

indentation marks or 8 motifs on the side near the butt end.

188

S. No.


Find Spot & State

Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Thickness (cm)

Weight (gram)

Section Profile

Reference

1. 1 Flat Axe Bhiwani (HR)

21.5 12.6 0.9 1330 Rectangular Kanya Gurukul Narela (206)

2. 10 Flat Axe Hansi (HR)

19.3-27.2

8.22-10.74

0.8-1.24 1080-1390

Rectangular Yule, Paul (1985), p. 65, fig. 715-724.

3. 1 Flat Axe Kulhud-Ka-Johad, Rajasthan

20.5 9.8 — — Rectangular Ibid, fig. 725

4. 12 Flat Axe Rewari (HR)

5.5-24.7

8.3-12.5 0.71-1.3 210-2000

Rectangular Ibid, p. 65.

5. 2 Flat Axe Saunia (Raj.)

22.7-23.0

8.8-8.8 1.01-1.2 1335-1550

Rectangular Ibid, p. 66, fig. 238-39.

Type IVc

These type of axes are quite large, length 23.8-30.1 cm and

weight range 1380-3400 gram. Their straight side are nearly

parallel and converge slightly in the direction of the butt. Both the

butt and the cutting edge are convex and the four corners

rounded. In cross section the sides are beveled and the faces

biconvex. These axes are very regular in form and are well made.

Virtually all of the examples were acquired from Rewari. Around 12

flat axes reported at Rewari Length range 19.1 to 30.1 cm, breadth

range 5.55 to 9.0 cm thickness, 1.4 to 3.02 and weight range 620

to 3400 gram.

Type IVd

This type of axes have length range 10.5-15.6 cm and show a

convex cutting edge, narrow butt and convering side edges in

profile and in section they are bilaterally symmetrical and slightly

biconvex. But for a single example from Gungeria (No. 444) all

were acquired in the Shahabad area in Uttar Pradesh. Five flat

axes have been reported from this area having length 10.5 to 15.6,

breadth 5.4 to 8.9 cm and thickness 1.01 – 1.11 cm.54

189

Type IVe

These type of axes show slender proportions, a convex

cutting edge and sides which taper in a slightly arabesque fashion

toward a smallish, set-off butt. These have measurement–length

range 14.2 to 21.1, weight range 186-220 gram. These artifacts

have been traced in the lower doab, north central Madhya Pradesh

and in Western Haryana as well. Two flat axes have been

discovered from Bithur, one from Debakia and three reported from

Rewari.

Type IVf

These flat axes have slender proportion. Their sides, which in

plan are slightly concave or are straight may be nearly parallel to

each other or may converge towards the butt. These flat axes have

measurement length ranging 14.3-20.7 cm, and weight range 615-

1320 gram.55 Specimens have been reported at Rewari and others

drive from the Gungeria hoard. These flat axes found from Rewari,

first axe has 14.3 length × 5.91 breadth and 1.38 thick with 615

gram weight. Second axe has measurement length 17.6 cm,

breadth 1.58 cm and 1080 gram weight. Third axe have

measurement length 18.3 cm, breadth 5.9, 1.89 thickness and

1320 gram weight. These are displayed at Kanya Gurukul, Narela.

Type Va

These so called shouldered axes are typified by a cutting

edge which in plan is roughly hemicircular. The ends of the cutting

edge comprise over half of the length. The side edge are usually

slightly concave, may run in a parallel fashion to each other or

may converge in the direction of the butt. These type of axes have

length range 13.06 to 27.8 cm and weight range 700 to 2600 gram.

190

S. No.


Find Spot & State

Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Thickness (cm)

Weight (gram)

Section Reference

1. 7 Shouldered

Flat Axe

Bithur (U.P.)

16.15-19.98

14.8-15.55

0.7-0.87 1310-1515

Concave Yule, Paul, (1985), p.

69, fig. 771-77

2. 1. Shouldered

Flat Axe

Hardoi (UP)

22.3 17.4 0.8 ? Concave Ibid, p. 69, fig. 778

3. 1 Flat Axe Indilapur 27.0 19.2 1.0 2600 Concave Lal. B.B. 1951, p. 29.

4. 2 Shouldered

Flat Axe

Rewari (HR)

14.6-16.2

11.65-12.0

0.72-0.92 700, 930

Concave Kanya Gurukul

Narela (90).

5. 2. Shouldered

Flat Axe

Shahabad (U.P.)

14.45-21.0

13.1 0.8-0.9 — — Yule, Paul, (1986), p.

69.

6. Shouldered Flat Axe

Nakrahiya 19.4 15.9 0.9 1415 Concave (Pl.3.31)

Yule, Paul (1985), p.

40.

Plate 3.31 Souldered Axe (Nakrihiya)

Type Vb

In this type the Axes have relatively longish proportion and

highly convex cutting edge. The sides turn in from the outermost

corners of the blade and converge is roughly a straight line toward

the butt, the latter which is flattish or slightly concave. These

measurements have in length range 13.3-17.93 and weight range

960 to 1180 gram. Their distribution spans is an area extending

from the upper to mid doab, two axes of this type have been found

from Shahabad.

191

Type Vc

In plan type Vc axes show a broad and convex blade which

terminates abruptly and at the point of truncation is jointed by a

much narrower body. In profile and section these blades are

biconvex and bisymmetrical. These type of axes have been found at

mid doab. The measurement of these type implements 12.1-13.7

length breadth range 1.68 to 1.85 weight range 480 to 580 gram.56

Type Vd

These type of axes distinguish themselves from the type V

axes by their squarish proportion. The side are relatively straight

and the lead edge is less convex than with other shouldered axes.

In profile and in section these axes are usually bilaterally

symmetrical and biconvex typical is a thick, glossy, light green

patina. All of the specimens were acquired from the village of

Etawah and to Judge from their similarity to each other, may well

have derived from the same hoard. These type of axes have been

measuring length range 15.4 to 17.7 cm and weight range 1210 to

1850 gram.

Type VI

These type of axes have been measured in length range of

13.8 to 17.2 cm and weight range 460-1095 gm. In face the cutting

edge is convex and the straight side narrow toward the small butt

end, which consist of two small, pointed, bilateral ‘wings’

doubtless instrument in hafting. In section the edge are bevelled

and the faces slightly convex. These axes form a homogeneous

group in terms of shape and size. All were acquired at Rewari in

Haryana.

S. No.

Implement Find Spot & State

Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Weight (gram)

Section References

1. Winged Axe Rewari (HR)

16.3×11.5×0.93 7.60 Lota Shape

Yule, Paul (1985), p. 71

(789) 2. Winged Axe Rewari

(HR) 13.8×9.93×0.66 460 Lota

Shape Ibid, p. 71, fig.

790. 3. Winged Axe Rewari

(HR) 15.0×10.7×0.87 600 Lota


791. 4. Winged Axe Rewari

(HR) 17.2×12.72×1.09 1095 Lota


792.

192

Type VII

These type of axes have measuring length range of 13.7 to

23.0 cm and weight range 706 to 2116 gram. In plan these blade’s

main features have a broad cutting edge, generally convex, but

which sometimes is nearly flat. The concave sides converge from

the outer points of the cutting edge toward the rounded butt and

join the latter often angularly. In section these axes appear higher

as a trapezoid with the two faces exactly parallel or slightly plano

convex in shape. In profile, the cutting edge itself is usually quite

blunt or even flat. An overall profile view shows VII axes to be

distinctly plano convex, with some bilaterally symmetrical. Except

for two examples from Chota Nagpur Region, all derive from the

Gunjeria. One axe founded from Chota Nagpur has measurement

10.3 cm length, 14.9 cm breadth 1.5 cm thickness and 155 gram

weight. Second axe from Chhota Nagpur has the measurement of

12.2 length, 15.1 cm breadth and 1.3 cm thickness has 1180 gram

weight. Besides above description and the division type of Axes

was prepared by Yule, Paul, J.P. Upadhyaya gives some detail’s

like measurement, finding spot and section of profile:

S. No.

Find Spot Type Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Cross section Nature of Edge

References

1. Pondi (U.P.)

Flat Axe

18.00×14.00×0.80 Flat Convex Edge, Sharp, Flat Butt

Ancient India No. 7, p. 23.

2. Hardi (U.P.)

Flat Axe

17.60×12.00×1.00 Flat Slightly splayed out convex, sharp cutting edge flat butt end

Ibid, p. 23

3. Bithur (U.P.)

Flat Axe

15.20×11.00×0.50 Flat As Above Ibid, p. 26

4. Bithur (U.P.)

Flat Axe


5. Bithur (U.P.)

Flat Axe


6. Bithur (U.P.)

Flat Axe

16.80×12.4×0.50 Flat Slightly Splayed, Convex shape, sharp Cutting edge, flat butt end

Ibid, p. 26

193

7. Bithur (U.P.)

Flat Axe

9.2×4.8×0.40 Flat No difference between cutting edge and butt

Ibid, p. 26

8. Bithur (U.P.)

Flat Axe

8.4×7.2×0.90 Flat Sharp Splayed Out convex, cutting edge, butt end flat

Ibid, p. 26

9. Indilapur (U.P.)

Flat Axe

26.8×19.2×0.80 Flat Splayed out Sharp Convex cutting edge

Ibid, p. 26

10 Majhadpur (U.P.)

Flat Axe

18.0×13.20×1.20 Flat Straight Sharp cutting edge taper towards butt end

Ibid, p. 30

11. Chhota Nagpur

Flat Axe

11.87×14.37×1.25 Flat Splayed out convex sharp cutting edge

Man in India, No. 2, p. 125.

12. Chhota Nagpur

Flat Axe

17.64×14.7×1.17 Flat As Above but not sharp

Ibid

13. Chhota Nagpur

Flat Axe

13.52×11.17×1.17 Flat As Above Ibid

14. Chhota Nagpur

Flat Axe

9.40×6.46×(?) Flat As Above Ibid

15. Padaliya (Raj.)

Flat Axe (6)

20.25×8.12×(?) Rectangular Slightly spalyed out convex sharp with flat butt end

Agrawal, R.C. (1979), pp. 91-92.

16. Elena (Raj.) Flat Axe

17.00×9.00 Rectangular As Above Ibid, p. III

17. ? (Haryana) Flat Axe

22×8×1.0 Rectangular (Pl.3.32.1)

Sharp And Crescent Edge

Archaeological Museum, Panipat

18. Haryana Flat Axe

23.30×4.5×0.6 Rectangular (Pl.3.32.2)

Long and Sharp edge

Ibid.

19. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe

23.3×8.6×0.85 Rectangular Slightly narrow towards butt end are convex (1.235 wght)

Dangi, Vivek (2010), p. 361, Pl. 46.

20. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe

26.4×8.06×1.08 Rectangular As Above (1.430 Kg weight)

Ibid, p. 361.

21. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe

25.5×7.6×0.93 Rectangular As Above (1.180 kg weight)

Ibid

22. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe

27.6×7.49×0.97 Rectangular As Above (1.385 Kg)

Ibid

23. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe

27.5×8.12×0.92 Rectangular Convex edge and sharp

Ibid, p. 359.

24. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe

20.5×8.77×1.07 Rectangular Broken Convex Cutting edge (1382 gm)

Ibid

25. Narnaund Flat 22.5×9.7×1.57 Rectangular Sharp Edge Ibid, p. 36

194

(HR) Axe (2500 gram) 26. Narnaund

(HR) Flat Axe

14.7×5.50×1.97 Rectangular Sharp Cutting Edge

Ibid, p. 360

27. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe

7.3×7.9×0.57 Rectangular Sharp cutting edge (150 gm)

Ibid, p. 360

Plate 3.32 Flat and Rectangular Axe from Panipat (?)

All the above mentioned flat axes have been used in

clearance of forests, cutting wood and land making for agricultural

purpose and hunting animals. The wooden shaft have been

attached by these axes for keeping in the hand.

A numerous flat axes is lodged at Gurukul Jhajjar Museum.

Eighteen axes have been showed by Sh. Birjanand for taking

measurements and Photos. The detail is mentioned below:

S. No.

Find Spot & State

Type Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Cross section Nature of Edge Plate No.

1. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 27×7.50×1.0 Rectangular Convex edge and sharp blade, long size

(Pl.3.33.1)

2. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 27.50×8×0.80 Rectangular Long and convex edge and sharp

(Pl.3.33.2)

3. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 28×8×1.0 Rectangular As Above (Pl.3.33.3)

4. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 27.30×8.20×0.80 Rectangular As Above (Pl.3.33.4)

5. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 27.50×7.30×0.90 Rectangular Long, Sharp edge convex

(Pl.3.34.1)

6. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 26.50×8×1.0 Rectangular Long, Sharp cutting edge and splayed toward outside

(Pl.3.34.2)

195

7. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 26.50×3.8×1.0 Rectangular Long sharp and convex edge

(Pl.3.34.3)

8. Bhiwani (HR)

Flat Axe 27.30×8.0×0.90 Rectangular Wide cutting edge and convex shaped

(Pl.3.34.4)

9. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe 20.50×10.50×0.70 Rectangular Convex cutting edge and sharp a mark near butt

(Pl.3.35.1)

10. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe 27.50×8×1.0 Rectangular Long, convex blade and sharp

(Pl.3.35.2)

11. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe 15.50×5.50×0.40 Rectangular Light weighted like a chisel sharp, convex blade

(Pl.3.35.3)

12. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe 7.0×7.0×0.40 Square Splayed edge toward outside

(Pl.3.35.4)

13. Narnaund (HR)

Flat Axe (?)

26.50×7.0×5.0 Oval Shaped Light weighted cutting edge not sharp

(Pl.3.35.5)

14. Rewari (HR)

Flat Axe 30×8.50×1.70 Rectangular Long, Convex edge and sharp

(Pl.3.36.1)

15. Rewari (HR)

Flat Axe 12.20×10×0.50 Square Sharp and convex cutting edge.

(Pl.3.36.2)

16. Rewari (HR)

Flat Axe 8.70×9.80×0.50 Square Flat edge but sharp

(Pl.3.37.3)

17. Rewari (HR)

Flat Axe 23×10×1.0 Rectangular Wide and sharp edge, convex shaped

(Pl.3.37.1)

18. Hansi (HR)

Flat Axe 12.40×9.30×0.40 Rectangular Parallel butt and crescent edge and sharped

(Pl.3.37.2)

Plate 3.33 copper hoard Flat and Rectangular Plate 3.34 Copper Hoard Flat and Rectangular

Axes From Bhiwani Axes From Bhiwani

196

Plate 3.35. 1-3. copper hoard Flat and Rectangular Plate 3.36. 1. Short Axe from Rewari Axes. 4. Copper Short Axe. 2. Flat Axe from Rewari. 5. Copper Cylinderical Axe from Narnaund.

Plate 3.37. 1. Flat and Rectangular Axe from Bhiwani 2. Splayed Axe from Hansi. 3. Short Axe from Rewari.

2. Shouldered Axe

Some scholars have classified these axes in sub-variety of

flat axes, however, the author called these items as ‘shouldered

axes’ on the basis of their shouldered wings. This has circular

working edge with shouldered along with straight and butt end.57

Shouldered axes of copper hoard have been reported from

Shahabad, Kanpur, Unnao, Hardoi, Bahadrabad, Balua, Bithur,

Dhaka, Gandhali, Madanapur, Manpur, Pariar, Nakarahiya,

Nasirpur (U.P.), Dadri, Mitathal, Rewari (Haryana), Gungeria

(M.P.), Andheri, Bordagaon, Kaharbari, Kaushaya, Kera, Kotabarty

(Jharkhand), Chadsai (Bihar) Chatla, Kulghera, Bhaktabandh

197

(West Bengal) etc. The author (Sharma, 1995), is of the opinion

that shouldered axe of copper hoard culture has its origin in

South-East Asia and it came through North-East via Eastern India

in Ganga-Yamuna doab region.

There are 46 flat shouldered axes of various sub types in the

collection of National Museum, New Delhi (Pl.3.38.1). These five

shouldered axes from Hardoi are very big in size. Its cutting edge is

Hemi circular and its end encompasses over half of its length.

Sides are concave and taper in the direction of butt end (Pl.3.38.2).

A Celt from Kanpur is little different. Its working edge is sharp and

semi-circular butt. Its two sides are flat and two side taper in the

direction of butt end.58 A large shouldered axe with tapering side,

straight wide butt end and hemi-circular cutting edge was found

from Orai in Uttar Pradesh. Size is 18 × 14 × 0.4 cm weight 930

gram a similar axe was also reported in Chhota Nagpur region.59

Another axe found at Orai had parallel sides straight wide butt end

and hemi-spherical cutting edge size 17.3×13.2×0.5 cm and weight

630 gram. A similar axe has been reported from a place near

Tamajuri in West Bengal. Ten Shouldered axes have been reported

from Shahabad, these lengths range 11.7 to 23 cm, breadth 5.3 to

16.3. These are of crescent edge both side and straight toward butt

end. It has sharp, biconvex and heavy blade.

Plate 3.38 1. Shouldered Axe from U.P. 2. Shouldered Axe from Shahabad (Hardoi)

198

S. No.

Type Find Spot Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Cross section

Nature of Edge

References

1. Shouldered Axe

Bithur 19.20×15.20×0.80 Flat Round shape cutting edge, Flat butt end

Ancient India No. 7, p. 26, No. 5

2. Shouldered Axe

Dhaka 17.20×14.80×0.80 Flat As Above Ibid, p. 26, No. 6

3. Shouldered Axe

Dhaka 26.20×17.20×0.80 Flat As Above Ibid, No. 10

4. Shouldered Axe

Dhaka 21.20×16.40×0.90 Flat As Above Ibid, No. 12

5. Shouldered Axe

Duneria 20.00×17.60×1.20 Flat Typical Shouldered Celt with Round Cutting Edge and round flat end

Ibid, No. 8

6. Shouldered Axe

Bhakta bundh

22.50×21.50×? Flat Round Cutting Edge, Rest as above

IAR, 1966-67, p. 81

7. Shouldered Axe

Bhakta bundh

17.50×14.00×? Flat As Above no. 1 Ibid

8. Shouldered Axe

Aguibani (Midnapur)

17.50×15.50×? Flat As Above IAR, 1976-77, p. 81.

9. Shouldered Axe

Aguibani 11.25×9.25×? Flat As Above Ibid

10. Shouldered Axe

Chhota Nagpur

18.12×15.00×1.25 Flat As Above Man in India, No. 65, p. 125

11. Shouldered Axe

Chhota Nagpur

21.87×18.75×2.18 Flat As Above Ibid.

12. Shouldered Axe

Chhota Nagpur

18.75×15.65×1.25 Flat As No. 1 Ibid

13. Shouldered Axe

Kulgara (Purlia)

20.00×16.00×? Flat As Above IAR, 1971-72, p. 51.

14. Shouldered Axe

Haswa (U.P.) 18.5×16.5×0.9 Flat Semi Circular Cutting edge.

Joshi, J.P. (1997), p. 228

15. Shouldered Axe

P.S. Basia 18.6x14.4 (pres.) x1.6 cm

Flat (Pl.3.39)

Crescent cutting edges

Yule, Paul (1985) p. 78.

Plate 3.39 Shouldered Axe from P.S. Basia

199

3. Lugged Shouldered Axe

The lugged axe is a type of shouldered axe with concave or

straight edges. It has prominent elliptical or convex sharp working

edge with a straight side butt end. The implements is

characterised by one pair of lugs projecting from the centre of two

sides. The lugs were meant to facilitate hafting. The first discovery

of shouldered lugged axe was reported from Sidhauli, Sitapur

district of Uttar Pradesh. 60 Till today above mentioned thirty

lugged shouldered axes from copper hoard have been reported,

mostly from middle and upper Ganga-Yamuna doab and Haryana

and only one from Nepal. On the basis of variation in the shape of

side-lugs the present author has classified this implement in four

sub types as follows:61

Type I : Rectangular

Type II : Cylindrical

Type III : Conical

Type IV : Incurved, like arms of Anthropomorphic

figure.

There are three lugs shouldered axes in the collection of

National Museum – one from Sitapur completely like of Type I,

other specimen type I from Bithur and third is fragmentary

anthropomorphic figure-cum-lugged axe from Lothal. Curved head

of lugged axes had been used for digging out the copper ore from

the mines. Lugs of this axe were either fixed in handle or used by

giving pressure on lugs while pushing circular working edge inside

the mine or rock. Recently nine lugged shouldered-cum-

anthropomorphic figure of Type III were reported from Bankot

(Pithoragarh) and these are in the collection of state Museum,

Almora. A few Lugged shouldered axes of type II are now in

collection of Mathura Museum and also in Jhajjar Gurukul

Museum in (Haryana). A lugged or soulder axe reported from

Rewari lodged at Gurukul Museum Jhajjar, has measurement of

200

15 cm long, 13cm breadth and 0.30 cm thickness. It has convex

and sharp cutting edge (Pl.3.40). Four lugged shouldered axes-

cum-anthropomorphic figure of type III from Western U.P. are in

private collection of Mr. Chisti from Amroha, Moradabad and they

have the measurement of 13 length and 11 cm breadth and also

from Kanpur with the of measurement has 8.2 in length and 5.7 in

breadth. 62

Plate 3.40 Lugged and Shouldered Axe from Rewari

4. Splayed Axe

In this new type of axe almost yielded from the Chhota

Nagpur area of Bihar has neither the sharp edge nor its corners

are prominent and the edge is sufficiently splayed out convex. The

blades are flattish or roundish on the side, crude casting

technique is diagnostic, profile or the edge is of plano-convex

dimple impression or convex face. Some specimens are also

observed. The length ranges form 13.50 to 22.90 cm. Four axes of

this type found from Shahabad (Uttar Pradesh) has been

measuring length range 5.7 to 17.8 cm, breadth range 7.6 to 15

cm.63 Around ninety one splayed axes have been reported from

different area in India.

5. Socketed Axe

In 1921 a socketed axe, the only one of its kind so far

known, has been unearthed from the site of Raja Karan Ka Qila,

201

near Kurukshetra in Haryana. This is of copper or low-grade

bronze whence it came is a puzzle. It appears like a developed and

derivative object and positively a non-Harappan specimen of

Protohistoric Phase. But discovered in the regular excavation, its

strategraphical details were not recorded and hence, it is difficult

to assign the correct time.64

6. Bar-Axe or Bar Celt

A bar-axe consists of nearly parallel-side bar, the length

ranges from 1 feet 6 inches to 2 feet and breath 4 to 6 cm. It has a

rectangular section, flat bottom and convex upper side. The

cutting-edge, usually crescentic is obtained by bevelling the upper

side only. Scholars have observed that most of these features have

also characterized the stone celts from the hilly tracts of Southern

Bihar, Western, Bengal, and Northern Orisha. There is, therefore,

good reason to believe that the copper bar-celts developed from

their prototypes in stone in course of time when metal began to

replace stone. Professor Stuart Piggott suggested that the bar celt

may have developed from the narrow elongated celt reported at

Chanhudaro and Nal.65 The Gungeria bar celts are from 30 to 60

cm long, those Hami 38 to 60 cm length and the probably

prototype from Chanhudaro 25 cm to 33 cm length. Besides to

Gungeria, Shahabad, Hami, Chhota Nagpur, Kamdhara and

Narnaund are those sites where occurred various bar celts. These

are some details

S. No.

Find Spot Type Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Section Reference

1. Shahabad Bar-Axe 19.2×5×? Rectangular, Splayed Cutting Edge

Puratattva No. 16. p. 97.

2. Hami Bar-Axe 49.2×4.5×1.0 Rectangular Long parallel Blade

Yule, Paul, 1986, p. 83, fig. 963

3. Narnaund Bar-Axe 38×4.0×1.27 (Pl.3.41.1)

Rectangular digging point sharp as like pick

Jhajjar Gurukul Museum

4. Bisauli (UP) Bar-Axe 29.20×7.20×0.30 Flat Biconvex edge Sharpner and broader butt end

Ancient India, No. 7, p. 23.

202

5. Rewari Bar Axe 25.70×3.80×1.0 (Pl.3.41.2)

Rectangular and blunt both size shows mark of Hammer on the butt

Jhajjar Gurukul Museum, Haryana

5. Nandalalpur (Raj.) Bar-Axe 27.00×8.00×? Flat, Convex Blade

Agrawal, R.C. (1979), More copper find from Rajasthan, Man in Environment, p. 92.

6. Chhota Nagpur Bar-Axe 55.86×8.82×1.76 Flat, Convex Edge Man and Environment 65, p. 128

7. Narnaund Bar celt 42.3x3.65x1.27 (Pl.3.41.3)

Rectangular section, cutting edge is slightly broken

Dangi, Vivek (2010) p. 359.

Plate 3.41. 1 Bar Axe (Narnaund) 2. Bar Axe (Rewari) 3. Bar Celt (Narnaund)

203

It was used for mining of the ores, their sturdiness and

length would enable their use as a crow-bar too – so essential for

mining work. The use-marks observed indicate their use against

hard surfaces. It is interesting to note that one of the so called bar

celts Gungeria was used as a saw with a serrated edge.66

7. Ploughshare or Pick-Like Implement

Two specimen of probable ploughshare, one from Kulgara

and Bhaktabundh in West Bengal, have been reported.

Ploughshare or pick like object from Kulgara has been measuring

in length 49.60 cm and breadth 4.95 cm. Its blade taper to a

rounded point.67 Similar type of object found from Bhaktabundh

has measuring 12.50 cm length and 3.25 cm breadth. Its blade

taper to a rounded point.68 Same type of a pick like object occured

from Sheorajpur has 7.8 cm in maximum available length. The

working edges are 0.9 cm wide. It is similar to two complete

specimen from the Nasirpur hoard (Pl.3.42), house in

Archaeological Museum Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar.69 However,

their actual function may be debatable question, we intend to

classify them as agricultural implements used for ploughing the

fields.

Plate 3.42 Plough Share from Nasirpur

8. Weed Chisel or Khurpi

Around ninety weed chisel or Khurpi of tang and without

tang varieties have been reported from 15 localities of Ganga-

Yamuna doab and Haryana. Gupta (1986) named this implement

as used chisel of Khurpi and called it an agricultural implement.

However Yule (1985 & 99) has classified this as a variety of flat

204

axes, which is not correct.70 These have been traced from

Shahabad, Bithur, Gungeria, Hardoi, Rajpur Parasu, Unnao,

Rewari etc. Some weed chisel or Khurpi from Shahabad are of V

shaped. Its cutting edge is convex and side edges are straight and

taper in the direction of the butt end. It has a tang near the butt

end and both side are smooth and thin. These have measures 13.6

to 29.9 length range and 2.0 to 6.5 wide range. A weed chisel or

Khurpi traced at Bithur has measures 13.00 length and 4.60 wide

straight sharp cutting edge. This is new tool type of copper

hoard.71 Three weed chisel or Khurpi reported from Rewari were

used for agricultural purpose and we have some ethnographic

parallels from the doab region. This type of implement is prevalent

in Northern India even today for removing unwanted grass from

the fields and also for making hay to feed the Cattle.

9. Chisel

Copper chisel has sharp convex working edge with the use

masks. The butt end is flat, thick and straight. Both side edges are

concave, straight and taper towards its butt end. It has been found

from Sitapur, Shahabad, Shaharanpur, Kanpur,72 Nasirpur in

Uttar Pradesh and Rewari in Haryana. Chisel of Kanpur is a

pointed thick weapon. It has four flat-sides and the cross-section

is square. Its butt end is rectangular and thick. This differs from

the belt because these are smaller in size. Chisel were used for

mining ore.73 Some chisels are much smallar than bar and bar

celt. Within this category great variations in shape are evident. For

this reason no attempt has been made at a five classification of the

few existing examples. A Chisel of Bithur has measures 14.5

length, 3.5 cm wide, 1.2 cm thickness and 300 gram weight. It is

two circular indentation on one face, butt splayed by Hammering.74

Four chisels of Rewari have the measuring the length range 7.2 to

26.0 cm, breadth range 1.4 to 7.2 cm, thickness range 1.0 to 1.17

cm and weight range 75 to 935 gram. Its chisels are bent on tip

205

but slightly hammered.75 A chisel has been discovered from Hansi,

measuring 21.50 cm long, 2.20 cm breadth and 0.90 cm thickness,

lodged at Gurukul Museum Jhajjar. Sharp cutting edge may be

used for ingraving and cutting purpose (Pl.3.43). A sharped chisel

has been discovered from Ganga Yamuna doab. It is long and one

edge narrow and other wide (Pl.3.44)

Plate 3.43 Copper Chisel from Hansi Plate 3.44 Copper Chisel from Ganga-Yamuna Doab

C. HOUSEHOLD IMPLEMENTS

Many implements in copper hoards do not seem which can

be termed as household implements probably that so called

anthropomorph, ring, razor, knife and fish hook which occur in

several copper hoards might have been used for household

purpose. Though, anthropomorphs and rings may be pointed out

that the exact function of the former is still debated and the latter

does not fall in the category of implements. Hypothesis have been

proposed from time to time regarding the use of the rings. Some

scholars suggest that they were used as weight76, while Smith

called them ‘ring money’. Lal however, right disregards both these

suggestions in the absence of any standard weight of the object

any symbol or mark of authority on them. Similar controversy

206

regarding on anthropomorphs, raised by some scholar suggests

like a throwing weapon and another suggested mother’s of diety.

1. Anthropomorph

A numerous anthropomorphs have been reported from

Bisauli (Pl.3.45.1),77 Saipai (Pl.3.45.2), Medarpur, Chandausi,

Nurpur, Mathura, Kiratpur, Etawah, Kanpur, Fatehgarh, Amroha,

Dariabad, Madanpur (U.P.), Ambala78 (Haryana), Manbhumi

(Bihar), Lothal (Gujarat) and Nepal.79 The most distinctive and

enigmatic type is the antropomorphic figure of anthropomorph. In

the most cases the head portion of this human like figure is

thicked by Hammering from the top, hind limbs are plain and arms

are generally incurved and sharpened externally. They appear to

have been cut from a plain sheet. Since these heavy implements

look like human figures, they are often identified as ritualistic

object. It is controversial issue that anthropomorphics are

throwing weapon and ritualistic object. Their length varies from 23

to 30 cm and breadth between 30 and 43 cm and average weight is

5 kg. They are on display at the National Museum at Delhi and it

has been claimed that they were found associated with OCP. All

these figures can be grouped on the basis of their size and shapes,

mainly into three types.80

Plate 3.45. 1. Anthropomorph (Bisauli) 2. Anthropomoroph (Saipai)

Type I

A short of stocky anthropomorphic figure fashioned from

thick metal has long and short legs and a trunk. The front and the

207

back of this figure bear chisel marks. In most of the cases, the

head is thick but there are few examples with thin head also. Its

height ranges from 23.2 to 24.1 cm and the average weight is 1260

gm. Type I anthropomorph has been traced from localities :

Nurpur, Kiratpur,81 Bisauli, Etawah, Amroha, Lothal82 in India and

two anthropomorphic from Nepal.83 Nineteen anthropomorph have

been discovered from madarpur, exception two, all

anthropomorphs have curved hand in inner side. The legs are very

short of these anthropomorph (Pl.3.46)

Plate 3.46 Copper Hoard. 1-19 Anthoropomorphic from Madarpur (Before Chemical Cleaning)

Type II

In this type the anthropomorphic figure has short arms and

long legs and its trunk portion is also longer than type I. All the

figures with thick head show a curious and distinctive thickening

of metal at the upper margin of head. Its has marks of chisel. Its

height ranges from 30.2 to 47.9 cm and mean is 39.19 cm. The

weight varies from 3000 to 6000 gm and its average is 4500 gm.84

In all we have 13 specimen and most of those were discovered near

Kanpur and mid Ganga–Doab UP. Some anthropomorphics have

been reported from Mathura, Chandausi, Fatehgarh, Ambala,

Sheorajpur, Bisauli.85

208

Type III

The body of anthropomorphic is thicker than the earlier two

types, it has proportionately broder and circular head. It appears

to be more archaic and is not of true geometrical shop. Its short

legs are rather straight and the whole figure seams quit crude and

rough. These are indentations on it appear extremity. In this figure

male organ is also depicted. This is the only figure found from

Manbhum District Dhanbad, Jharkhand and is exhibited in Patna

Museum. The measurement of this figure is 16.9 cm length, 14.5

cm wide, 1.3 cm thickness and 1230 gram weight. Aggarwal

described this figure as Shrivastva whereas authors identify it with

an archaic from of Taurine or Nandipada and are of the opinion

that this object of Patna Museum can be excluded figure of copper

hoard culture and its antiquity is older than the copper hoard

implements. This figure resembles the anthropomorphic figure

found in the rock painting of ISKO, in Hazaribagh district in

Jharkhand. As the rock painting is datable to 2500 BC and similar

date can also this copper anthropomorphic.86

S. No.

Site Type Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Section Edge Profile Reference

1. Bisauli Anthropomorphic 46×37.6×0.80 Flattish Human shaped from of arm sharp

Ancient India No, 7, p. 23, No. 1.

2. Bisauli Anthropomorphic 34.80×27.6×0.60 Flattish Human shaped, front of the arms sharp

Ibid, No. 7, p. 23.

3. Bisauli Anthropomorphic 27.60×35.2×0.70 Flattish As Above Ibid, No. 7, p. 23

4. Sheorajpur Anthropomorphic 48.80×38.0×? Flattish As Above Ibid No. 7, p. 30.

5. Chandausi Anthropomorphic 44.8×41.3×2.0 Flattish As Above Yule, Paul (1985), p. 52.

6. Ambala Anthropomorphic 12.1×4.13×0.6 Flattish Broken Edge above the below (250 gm)

Ibid, p. 82.

7. Saipai Anthropomorphic 24.1x27.4x0.76 Flattish Left arm broken

Ibid. 43

209

An oblong copper object from Harappan level of Lothal, with

a convex end and two broken side – lugs is included by some in the

anthropomorph category. It is plain in section and does not have

hammered head like the doab ones. In fact, in the entire harappan

reportoire, this is the only object which is compared with the

copper-hoard.87 A anthropomorph (type-I) from Bisauli has

measuring 23.2cm length x 35.2cm breadth x 0.7 cm thickness

and 1250 gm weight in section bilaterally symmetrical, surface

pattered on both side with numerous thin gouges. (Pl.3.45)

Gorden and D.P. Agrawal suggest that anthropomorphs were

used as weapons view of Agrawal about the function of these

anthropomorphs that ‘It was used as missile to kill birds as the

sharp arms could cut the bird, the thick head could stun it and

the incurved arms could entagle and bring it down.88 Scholar

resembles of anthropomorph with the figure of anthropomorphic

from Nandipad (Taurine Symbol) is Nandivarta which looks like

'Ma' of Ancient Brahmi script. It appears that anthropomorphic

taurine symbol right from Indus valley period c. (2700 BC) to early

historic period (5th AD).89 Present day Anthropomorphic figure in

metal from (¤ani Devata) is still being worshiped in North India.

Another scholar has described this anthropomorphic as the deity

of fertility or mother goddess.90 Heavy type anthropomorphic

appeared, might have proved deadly when hurled at close quarters.

The intentionally bluted head, hammered into a flanged ridge was

most suitable for breaking the skulls of the animals and enemies.

Some scholar (Kumar : 1999) identified anthropomorphic figure of

copper hoard as symbolic image of Indira. A unique

anthropomorphic figure found to Sabdar Ali, a resident of village

Kheri Gujjar, Sonepat in Haryana during diging foundation a

house. Its shows a composite figure of NR-Varaha (Third Avtar of

Vishnu) facing right. Both arms are incurved and the legs are

almost straight. On this upper part, the figure bears a three-line

210

(ten letter) epigraph in the early Brahmi characters.91 All examples

show the anthropomorphic were used for religious purpose. But it

can not be ignored to use for throwing weapons. However this

requires confirmation.

2. Ring

Rings are made of Bending a circular rod till the ends meet.92

The rings were discovered along the copper hoard from the

localities of the Mainpuri, Bahadrabad, Aulbani Kiratpur, Bargoan

(U.P.), Bhadla93 (Punjab), Rewari, Pauli, Mitathal (Haryana),

Gungeria, Pondi (M.P.), Bargunda (Jharkhand), Agavibani (W.

Bengal). Two rings of this collection were made of thick copper

wire. First copper wire was made by solid cast method in the form

of rings. Copper ring is known in India since Ganeshwar (2800 BC)

Indus valley people used them as bangles.94 Rings associated with

the copper hoard have been reported from Bhagrapir (Orisha). As

many as 47 rings were occurred from Pondi. D.P. Agrawal suggests

that the only criterion for the ring characterizing the copper

hoards could be their standard weight. They could be convenient

units of metal weight for the itinerant smith to carry. The number

of such rings expended in making a tool would be a useful

measure to determine the barter.95 Near about one thousand

copper ring have been discovered from Haryana (Pl.3.47) and

Rajasthan. These are logged at Gurukul museum Jhajjar in

Haryana.

Plate 3.47 copper hoard Rings from Haryana

211

3. Knife (Pl.3.48)

A unique discovery of knife in copper hoard from Narangabad

district Bhiwani in Haryana has measuring 22.6 cm length, 2.08

cm breadth, 0.1 cm wide with 10 gram weight. It is reserved at

Kanya Gurukul, Narela It appears sharp, biconvex and concave

blade, with tang.96

Plate 3.48 Coppeer Knife (Naurangabad)

4. Razor

A razor (Acc. No. 87.22/12) reported from Shahabad has the

measurement of 6.9 cm length and 4.2 breadth.97 It is a typical

razor and appears like an axe with a tang. It is a new type object in

the copper hoard collection. It side edge is convex and sharp

bearing some used mark. It shape is rectangular and both the

sides are flat tapering towards a working edge. A flat bar-sharped

rectangular tang attached near the butt-end is the peculiar feature

of this implement. The tang makes a right angle near the joint. It

also has a coating of green patina. This implement resembles in

shape with the weapon of another razor which is now in the

National Museum, New Delhi.98

5. Saw

No specimen was found this type artifact in copper hoard

collection in India only a fragment of saw was reported from

Rewari in Haryana, thereof measurement is 6.2 cm. length, 3.7 cm.

breadth, 0.61 cm thickness and 50 gram weight. It is now at

Kanya Gurukul, Narela, the blade has some tooth which is slightly

concave, both ends hammered flat.99 It was used in carpentry.

212

LIST OF COPPER HOARD WEOPONS AND IMPLEMENTS (Mekhan Lal (1984) pp. 34-41, Yule, Paul (1986), pp. 51-93, D.P. Sharma

(2002), p. 15 and other Sources)

Copper Hoard Type S. No.

Locality District & State

1. F

lat

Axe

2. S

houl

dere

d A

xe

3. B

ar C

elt

4. H

atch

et o

r P

aras

u

5. L

ugge

d A

xe

6. D

oubl

e A

xe

7. R

ing

8. A

nthr

opom

orph

ic

figur

e

9. H

arpo

on

10. A

nten

nae

Sw

ord

11. H

ooke

d S

pear

or

Sw

ord

12. W

eed

Chi

sel o

r K

hurp

i

13. K

nife

or

Raz

or

1. Bhadla Ludhiana (Punjab)

Sev. Sev. 1

2. Chandigarh District HQ. (HR & Punjab)

4

3. Ambala Haryana 1

4. Bhiwani Haryana 4

5. Dadri Bhiwani (Haryana)

2

6. Hansi Hisar (Haryana)

24 2

7. Mitathal Bhiwani (Haryana)

1 1 4 2

8. Narnaund Hisar (Haryana)

5 1 2 1

9. Naurangabad Bhiwani (HR)

1

10 Pauli Jind (HR) 8

11 Rewari Haryana 175 31 9

12 Amroha Moradabad (UP)

2 1 1

13 Bahadrabad Saharanpur (U.P.)

6 1 1 1

14 Baheria Saharanpur (U.P.)

1 1 1

15 Balua Varansi (UP) 4

16 Bargoan Sharanpur (UP)

2

17 Bander Kala Hardoi (U.P.) 1

18. Bisauli Badaun (UP) 1 3 1

19 Bithur Kanpur (UP) 29 7 10 1

20. Chandausi Moradabad (UP)

1 Sev

21. Deoti Lucknow (UP)

1

22 Dhaka Shahjahanpur UP)

5

23. Fatehgarh Farrukhabad (UP)

1 13

24. Gandhauli Sitapur (UP) 6 3

25. Gorakhpur UP 1

26. Hardoi Sitapur (UP) 1

27. Indilapur Shaharanpur (UP)

1

28. Kanpur UP 6 3 3 1 6 3 2 2

29. Kamalpur Hardoi (UP) 1

213



1. F

lat

Axe

2. S

houl

dere

d A

xe

3. B

ar C

elt

4. H

atch

et o

r P

aras

u

5. L

ugge

d A

xe

6. D

oubl

e A

xe

7. R

ing

8. A

nthr

opom

orph

ic

figur

e

9. H

arpo

on

10. A

nten

nae

Sw

ord

11. H

ooke

d S

pear

or

Sw

ord

12. W

eed

Chi

sel o

r K

hurp

i

13. K

nife

or

Raz

or

30. Kiratpur Bulandshar (UP)

2 Sev. 1

31. Kausambi Allahabad (UP)

1

32. Kosam Allahabad (UP)

2

33. Madanpur Hardoi (UP) 1 9

34. Madharpur Moradabad (UP)

31

35. Mainpuri Distt. HQ. (U.P)

2 6

36. Mahgadpur Hardoi (UP) 1

37. Manpur Bulandshahr (UP)

1 1 1

38. Mohamadabad Sitapur (UP) 1

39. Mathura Distt. H.Q. (UP)

1

40. Nakrahiya Sitapur (UP) 4

41. Nasirpur Shahjanhpur (UP)

2 2 2 1 2

42. Niorai Etawah (UP) 1 1

43. Pariar Unnao (UP) 1 1 Sev.

44. Rajpur Parsu Bijnor (UP) 9 1 6

45. Ramjirpur Nimar (UP) 1

46. Sadabad Mathura (UP)

16

47. Shahabad Hardoi (UP) 34 10 4 7 8 5 6 1

48. Saipai Etah (UP) 1 1 2

49. Sarthauli Shahjahnpur (UP)

1 1 5

50. Sharanpur UP 1 1 1 1

51. Sheorajpur Kanpur (UP) 3

52. Sitapur UP 5 4 1 1

53 ? Hardoi (UP) 1

54. ? Etawha (UP) 1

55. Unnao UP 4 1 1 1 1

57. Ganeshwar Sikar (Rajasthan)

58

58. Khurdi Nagaur (Rajasthan)

7 1

59. Kulhad Ka Johad

Sikar (Rajasthan)

1

60. Mallah Bharatpur (Rajasthan)

7 16 7

61. Nandlalpura Jaipur (Rajasthan)

6

62. Padaliya Chittorgarh (Rajasthan)

6

214



1. F

lat

Axe

2. S

houl

dere

d A

xe

3. B

ar C

elt

4. H

atch

et o

r P

aras

u

5. L

ugge

d A

xe

6. D

oubl

e A

xe

7. R

ing

8. A

nthr

opom

orph

ic

figur

e

9. H

arpo

on

10. A

nten

nae

Sw

ord

11. H

ooke

d S

pear

or

Sw

ord

12. W

eed

Chi

sel o

r K

hurp

i

13. K

nife

or

Raz

or

63 Bavarniya Bikaner (Rajasthan)

2

64. Modhera Mahsana (Gujarat)

4

65 Dabakia Jabalpur (MP)

1

66. Gungeria Balaghat (MP)

Sev. Sev. Sev.

67. Kelsi Sagar (MP) 3

68 Pondi Rewa (MP) 5 47

69. Ramjipura Nimar (MP) 1

70. ? Jabalpur (MP)

1

71. ? Chhota Nagpur (MP)

1

72. Balpur Bilaspur (Chh.Garh)

2

73. Andheri Singhbhum (J.Khand)

6

74. Bandau Ranchi (J.Khand)

1

75. Bargundu Hazaribag (J.Khand)

1 1

76. Bartola Ranchi (J.Khand)

21

77. Biru Ranchi (J.Khand)

1

78. Bordogaon Singhbhum (J.Khand)

3

79. Dhargama Racnhi (J.Khand)

21

80. Golu Hazaribag (J.Khand)

1

81. Hami Plamue (J.Khand)

6 17

82. Kaharbari Hazaribag (J.Khand)

3

83. Kamdera Ranchi (J.Khand)

2

84. Kera Singhbum (J.Khand)

1

85. Kolabarty Dhanbad (J.Khand)

6 1

86. Mahundanr Plamau (J.Khand)

3

87. Nankon Ranchi (J.Khand)

1

88. Saguna Plamau (J.Khand)

1

89. ? Hazaribag 3

215



1. F

lat

Axe

2. S

houl

dere

d A

xe

3. B

ar C

elt

4. H

atch

et o

r P

aras

u

5. L

ugge

d A

xe

6. D

oubl

e A

xe

7. R

ing

8. A

nthr

opom

orph

ic

figur

e

9. H

arpo

on

10. A

nten

nae

Sw

ord

11. H

ooke

d S

pear

or

Sw

ord

12. W

eed

Chi

sel o

r K

hurp

i

13. K

nife

or

Raz

or

(J.Khand)

90. Sununi Plamau (J.Khand)

1

91. ? Ranchi (J.Khand)

4

92. Chadsai Santhal Pargana (Bihar)

2

93 Chhota Nagpur

Bihar 80 37

94. Kaushaya Monghur (Bihar)

1

95. Agavibani Midnapur (W.Bengal)

2 11

96. Bhaktabandh Bankura (W.Bengal)

2

97. Chatla Midnapur (W.Bengal)

1

98. Kulghera Purulia (W.Bengal)

3

99. Parihati Midnapur (W.Bengal)

1 5

100 Tamajuri Midnapur (W.Bengal)

1

101 Varicus Manbhum (W.Bengal)

27

102 Bhangarapir Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

1 3

103 Duneria Pal Lahara (Orisha)

3

104 Khiching Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

2

105 Kshetra Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

1

106 Bhaghada Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

1

107 Bhaghada Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

1

108 ? Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

2

109 ? Mayurbhanj (Orisha)

1

110 Kallur Raichur, (Karnatka)

2 3

111 Hullur Dharwar (Karnataka)

2

112 Other 20 21 2 1 1 1 13 3 3 1

Total 1191+ 646 118 45 2 3 11 153 42 73 56 24 14 4

216

THE PROBLEM OF HOMOGENITY

A number area which are found different types of weapons

and implements like flat axes, shouldered axes, bar-celt, chisels,

spearheads, antennae swords, harpoons and anthropomorphs,

when the plotted on a map of India. There are two thoughts stand

out prominently : (i) some are universal in their geographical

distribution, and (ii) Regional differences are seen in weapons and

implement assemblages. The found spots of the copper weapons

and implements can be divided into three group :

(i) Eastern Group A : Bengal, Bihar, Orisha and Madhya

Pradesh

(ii) Northern Group B : Spreading over the Ganga-Yamuna Doab

(iii) Chalcolithic Zone X : Including Rajasthan, Malwa, Gujarat,

Deccan and mysore.100

(i) Zone A (Eastern Area) : In the eastern zone, main tool types

like flat axe, shouldered axes, bar celts, weed chisels,

chisels, and rings have been found. Kaushya, Homi, Pondi,

Gungeria and Duneria are the main sites which produced

such hoard. Copper implements of North-Eastern group are

very simple and their manufacturing technique is crude.101

(ii) Zone B (Western Area) : In this zone, there are special

weapons, found viz. antennae swords, hooked spear,

harpoon, and anthropomorphic, the five special weapons and

implement of Group A are also found there. The copper

hoard of group B is more refined than group–A implements.

Sophisticated manufacturing technique of Group B tools i.e.

casting forging, filling etc. was more advanced than that of

group–A. SP Gupta and Madhuri Sharma are of the views

that during the end of third millennium B.C. migration of

copper hoard people took place from A region towards B

region. i.e. East to West. Specially developed weapons and

implements of copper hoard of group B likes antennae sword,

217

hook sword, spearhead, weed chisel, harpoon and casting

technique of these are very complex in valuing even double

mould method of casting. An advanced type weapon and

casting technique of these are very complex in valuing even

double mould method of casting. An advanced type weapon

of Group B region shows the arrival of new Artharvedic Aryan

race from western India. It is not unlikely that the authors of

copper hoard weapons of group B region can be associated

with late Harappan refugees or Atharvedic Aryan race coming

from Western India.102

(iii) Zone X (Chalcolithic) : About a dozen excavated sites from

Rajasthan, Malwa, Gujarat, Decaan and other have produced

such copper and low-grade bronze weapons and implements

in small number. Some of these weapons are similar to those

found in zone A and B, but others have regional differences.

These weapons and implements unearthed from regular and

securely dated strata, have been associated either with Late

Harappan Culture or Post Harappan chalolithic culture

except the harpoon, nearly all weapons and implements like

A and B zone have been found from Chalcolithic site. Two

type implements like curved axe-blade and single splayed-

sided axe-blade appears to be used by Chalcolthic peoples. It

does not appear in copper hoard implements.103 The first five

type (flat axe, shouldered axe, bar celt, chisel and ring)

prevalent in all the three zone, are universal. The common

occurrence of these would determine the possibility of zonal

interrelationship besides the culture itself being contained

paraneous with the cholcotithic culture in India. These

definitely belong to the copper hoard culture-complex

because of their singularly characteristic feature. Harpoons

have been found only in zone B. It proves that copper and

low-grade bronze were used simultaneously in same cases.

218

THE PROBLEM OF AUTHORSHIP

There are some relations between copper hoard and late

Harappans, OCP and Aryan appear that these cultures claim to

authorship of copper hoard. We can discuss about the some

Archaeological aspects related to Late Harappan Culture, OCP and

Aryans seem to have used and it has been proved by some

scholars.

Relationship of Copper Hoard and Late Harappan

Stuart Piggott tried to associate these weapon with the

Harappan refugees. He writes “It would be tempting to associate

this movement with something more than trade, and see it the

colonization of the Ganga Basin by refugees and displayed persons

from Punjab and Indus Valley during the time of the breakup of

the Harappa empire and the coming of Aryan from the west.”104

The discovery of copper hoard objects OCP and Late Harappan

pottery at Bahadrabad and a broken anthropomorph figure have

been reported from Lothal. A bar celt of copper has been found

from Rojdi. Two harpoons and a Parasu have been discovered from

Mitathal (Haryana).

The typological analysis of Harappan copper object and those

of copper hoards gives completely different pictures. The flat celt

are the only common link between the two. The distinctive

Harappan types are razors, arrowheads, barbed fish hooks, and

curved blades. Whereas copper hoards are distinguished by

harpoons, antennae swords and anthropomorphs. The metal

analysis of Harappan Implements shows that tin was alloyed in

copper from 1 to 23%. Whereas in copper hoards, arsenic was

alloyed from 0.13% to 7.84%.105 Wheeler suggests that there is no

substantial evidence to support the view that the hoards represent

a colonisation of the Ganga Basin by refugees and displayed

person from Punjab and the Indus Valley during the time of the

break-up of Harappa empire and coming of raiders from the west.

219

Diksit (1968) however, believes that the mid-rib in Harpoons and

swords of copper hoard living in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and

Rajasthan. He does not specify from which Harappan object the

mid-rib in copper hoard object evolved. But this theory cannot be

sustained since only one copper hoard type, namely, the harpoon

is known by a single example from the surface of the mound at

mitathal.

Relationship of Copper Hoard and OCP

Unlike the typical OCP which has an ill-fired, powdery

surface found from a numerous sites in India. It was identified for

the first time in the lower level of Hastinapur, Rajpur Parasu and

Bisauli by B.B. Lal in 1951.106 At Hastinapur, the OCP assemblage

underlies the painted grey were deposited. Since then about

seventy five sites of this culture have been discovered in Uttar

Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, the concentration being

in the Ganga Doab. Some important sites such as Saipai,

Ahichchatra, Atranjikhera, Lal Quila, Ambkheri, Noh etc. have

been subjected to excavation. Most of the settlements located in

the alluvial plain, are very small in size and the habitation deposit

varies between 0.60 and 1.50 metre.

The OCP sites spread mainly to Ganga Doab, whereas the

copper hoards are largely concentrated in east Rajasthan,

Haryana, Ganga Doab and Chota Nagpur. It is quite interesting

that a number of OCP sites, e.g. Bahadrabad, Narsipur, Lal Qila,

Jhinjhana, Saipai, Nandalpura, Jodhpura and other have also

yielded copper hoard and scholar have attempted to associate the

copper hoard with the OCP. Agrawal and Kumar claim that they

discovered thousands of copper objects in association with OCP

from Ganeshwar region; but it is not clear if they bear any kind of

relationship or similarity with copper hoard before the excavation

at Saipai, Copper hoards were never found in a stratigraphic

context. At copper hoard sites such as Bahadrabad, Nasirpur,

220

Rajpur Parasu, Baheria, Kiratpur and Bisauli have found OCP. A

harpoon and hooked spear were found with OCP from Saipai. Some

celts, a harpoon and hooked spear have been tracked down with

OCP from Nasirpur. A copper ring was seen at Bargaon with

OCP.107

Considering this evidence, Lal (1951) associated copper

hoard with OCP which was obtain from Hastinapur, Bisauli,

Rajpur Parasu. OCP and a harpoon were found together in

stratified deposit from Saipai. Lal assigns the ceramic tradition

and copper hoard to the people who inhabited the Doab before the

arrival of Aryan. It is known that OCP stratigraphic composition is

not thick perhaps OCP users were not habitual in the same place

for long time.

Relationship between Copper Hoards and Aryan

On the basis of typological analysis of copper hoards celts

and axes from Harappan and Mohenjodaro and similar object

found in Egypt, Sardinia, British, Isles, Greek and Transcaucasia,

Heine-Geldern (1936, 1956) propounded that the copper hoard

belong to Aryan who came to India some time between 1200-1000

B.C.108 He has tried to establish the cultural interrelation between

Persia, transcausasia, Northern Cancacus, South Russia and India

during that period. In his opinion these tools bear foreign influence

and also reflect a period of cultural fusion. However, the Koban

implements have hilt and blade separately, while Indian examples

are cast all in one, but a few implements like a dagger with a blunt

antennae from Bithur has an exact replica in a Koban dagger now

lodged in a museum at Saint German. Regarding the two type of

harpoons were found from Ganga-Yamuna doab and mitathal in

Haryana. He thinks that type I is indigenous and type II has

envolved from the contact of type I. With the long spear (Javelin)

and arrow-head having simple barbs and mid-rib found prevalent

in Transcancasia, Talish and Luristhan, he says “If we could hope

to find some archaeological traces of the Vedic Aryans, it could be

221

among those prehistoric and bronze object from Northern India.109

Some scholars know of copper-hoard regarded to Vedic

Aryan. They are cited Maruts as the atmospheric god’s of vedic

period. They were referred to as Marutam ganah (bond of the

maruts) always in plural. The Satapada Brahmana refers to forty-

nine maruts whereas in the Jaimini Brahmana forty maruts are

mentioned. All these description mention that the maruts have

been found in groups. Similar is the case with the copper hoard

anthropomorphs. The maruts were the original inhabitants of the

Indus-ravi basin who might have had some deep-rooted relation-

either genetically or cultural with the Harappans of the region.110

In support of this view, Sharma (2002) also says that copper hoard

implements of western group show generic relationship with the

Harappan tool repertoire, Rigvedic Maruts, the outhers of the

copper hoard, seem to be the descendants genetically or else

culturally related with the Harappan. By the time they reached the

Ganga-Yamuna Doab, which is contemporaneous to the period of

the Yajurveda, the maruts started worshipping the

anthropomorphic figure. It is attested by a large number of

anthropomorphic recovered from the Genetic Division. One of the

bands of maruts lost their importance in the Vedic society. Thus,

the anthropomorphic figures were confined to that region where

the bands of the maruts once florions. The copper anthropomorphs

stand as the first archaeological materials corroborated by the

vedic literature.

Relationship between Copper Hoards and Native Tribes

B.B. Lal assigned this cramic tradition and copper hoards to

the people who inhabited the doab before the arrival of Aryans. The

area of the copper hoard distribution is at present, as known to

have been occupied by Austro-Asiatic speaking Mundas, Santhal

and other tribes belonging to the proto-austroioid group of the

Indian population which probably migrated to India from

Southeast Asia.111 The Austro-Asiatic languages spoken in Burma

222

and by Khasis in Northeastern India would provide a clue to the

route which the Mundas had taken on their migration to eastern

and central India. It is also possible that eastern Austronesian

tribes forefathers of Mon Khmer and linguistically associated with

the Mundas, (Bongard Levin 1957) independently developed the

use of metal. Recent research shows that in Thailand the use of

bronze started in 4th millennium B.C. The North-eastern India

considered as an integral part of South-East Asia is considered as

an integral part of southeast Asia during Neolithic phase. So in all

probability Mundas who migrated to India with the knowledge of

Metallurgy some time between 3000-2000 BC were the authors of

these hoards.112

In Vedic literature also we find references about the Aryan

encountering with certain native tribes whom they called Nishads,

having short stature and the flat nose. Most probably these native

tribes were Mundas and other Austroloid tribes.

S.P. Gupta has analysed the views of all these scholar and

has summarized that in ancient day Munda speaking people

inhabited in Bental, Orisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar

Pradesh.113 Among them the copper industry originated. Due to the

pressure of increasing population and natural search for better

land, these people migrated into Yamuna-Ganga Valley. Soon they

had to encounter with the Indo-Aryans who were proceeding from

the west to the doab. They were defeated. Intermingling of people

and using the Indo-Aryan and Munda language took place. The

group which could not co–exist with the invaders fled and took

refuge in the adjoining hilly tracts.

All the above theories related to copper hoard authorship are

not perfect. Scholars have criticised them as sufficient evidences

have not come to light and the accuracy is not convincing the

authorship problem of copper hoard is even today a controversial

issue in the Indian archaeology.

223

References :

1 Agrawal, D.P. and J.S. Kharakwal (2003), Bronze and Iron Age in

South Asia, p. 195.

2 Smith, V.A. (1905), ‘The copper age and prehistoric Bronze implements

of India’ in Indian Antiquary, XXXIV, pp. 229-44.

3 Agrawal, D.P. and J.S. Kharakwal (2003), Op. Cit., p. 195.

4 Geldern, R.H. (1936), 'Archaeological Traces of the Vedic Aryan’ in

Journal of Indian society of Oriental Art, IV, pp. 87-113.

5 Pant, G.N. (1978), Indian Arms and Armour, p. 43.

6 Sharma, S.P. (2002), Newly Discovered copper hoard, weapons of

south Asia, p. 15.

7 Ibid., p. 118-19.

8 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), Ancient Metal Technology and Archaeology of

South Asia, p. 104.

9 Dhavalikar, M.K. (1997), Indian Protohistory, pp. 256-57.

10 Lal, Makkhan (1980-81), ‘Copper Hoard Culture of India : A

Reassessment’ in Puratattva No. 12, p. 66.

11 Dhavalikar, M.K. (1997), Op. Cit., p. 257.

12 Piggot, Stuart (1994), ‘Prehistoric Copper Hoards in the Ganga Basin’, in

Antiquity, No. 72, pp. 173-82.

13 Lal, B.B. (1951), ‘Further Copper Hoards from the Ganga Basin and a

review of the problem’, in Ancient India, No. 9, p. 38.

14 Dhavalikar, M.K. (1997), Op. Cit., pp. 257-58

15 Ibid, p. 258.

16 Pant, G.N. (1978), Op. Cit., p. 47.

17 Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), Metal Implements in Ancient India, p. 94.

18 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), Op. Cit., p. 109.

19 Yule, Paul (1985), Metalwork of the Bronze Age in India, p. 53.

20 Smith, V.A. (1905), ‘The Copper age and prehistoric bronze implements

of India’, In Indian Antiquary, XXXIV, pp. 229-44.

21 Agrawal, D.P. (1971), Copper Bronze Age in India, p. 199.

22 Sharma D.P. (2002), ‘Copper Hoards Collection in the National Museum’,

in National Museum, Bulletin, No. 9, pp. 58-59.

23 Ibid., p. 59.

24 Sharma, D.P. (2002), Newly Discovered copper hoard Weapons of

South Asia, p. 98.

25 Sharma, D.P. (2002), Op. Cit., p. 25,28,38,39,83,119,120,122

26 Shrivastava, Suryakant (1989), 'Some more copper object from

Sheorjpur,' in Puratattva No. 19, p. 70.

27 Ibid., p. 70.

28 Yule, Paul (1985), Op. Cit., p. 90.

29 Ghosh, A., (1989), An encyclopedia of Indian Archaeology, Vol. I,

p. 351.

30 Saini, Sukhdev (2005), ‘A Socio-Economic view of Protohistoric culture

in Punjab’. in Punjab History Conference, Thirty Seven Session, p. 67.

31 Sharma, D.P. (2002), ‘Copper Hoards Collection in the National Museum’

in National Museum, Bulletin, No. 19, p. 59, Shukla, K.S. and L.M.

Wahal (2011) copper hoard Culture of the Ganga Valley (Panchala

Region), p. 57.

32 Agrawal, D.P. (1971, The Copper Bronze Age in India, P. 201.

224

33 Chakrabarati, D.K. and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996), Copper and its alloys

in Ancient India, p. 83.

34 Lal., B.B. (1951), ‘Further copper hoards from Gangetic basin and a

review of the problem’, In Ancient India, No. 7, p. 30.

35 Puratattva No. 16, p. 97.

36 Des Gupta, Nupur (1997), The dawn of technology in Indian

Protohistory, p. 465.

37 Kumar, Krishan (2009), ‘ORAI : A new copper hoard site in Northern

Bundel Khand’, in Pragdara, No. 19, pp. 174-75.

38 Yule, Paul (1985), Op. Cit., p. 94.

39 Kumar, Krishan, (2009), Op. Cit., p. 175

40 Des Gupta, Nupur (1997), Op. Cit., p. 463.

41 Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), Op. Cit., p. 93

42 Pant, J.P. (1978), Indian Arms and Armour, Vol. I, pp. 56-57.

43 Lal, Makkhan (1984), Op. Cit., p. 36.

44 Yule, Paul (1985), Op. Cit., p. 55-72.

45 Pant, G.N. (1978), Op. Cit., p. 54.

46 Sharma, D.P. (2002), Op. Cit., pp. 16-36.

47 Ibid, p. 36, 46.

48 Ibid, pp. 30-34.

49 Ibid, pp. 31-48.

50 Ibid, pp. 28-29.

51 Yule, Paul (1985), Op. Cit., p. 55.

52 Ibid., p. 61.

53 Ibid., p. 62.

54 These flat axe are lodged at National Museum New Delhi; Yule, Paul,

(1985), p. 67.

55 Sharma D.P. (2002), Op. Cit., p. 113.

56 Yule, Paul (1985), Op. Cit., p. 70.

57 Sharma, D.P. (2002), ‘Copper Hoards Collection in the National

Museum’, New Delhi in National Museum Bulletin, No. 9, p. 60.

58 Sharma, D.P. (1987), 'Copper Hoard Implements in the National

Museum', New Delhi : 1987, Collection in Puratattva No. 17, pg. 38-39.

59 Kumar Krishna (2009), Op. Cit., p. 173.

60 Sharma, D.P. (1998), ‘Two unique lugged shouldered copper axes from

the National Museum of India Collection’ in Vibha Tripathi (Eds.)

Archaeology Mettallurgy in India, p. 292.

61 Sharma, D.P. (2002), National Museum Bulletin, No. 9, p. 58.

62 Sharma, D.P. (2002), Op. Cit., p. 29, 42.

63 Puratattva, No. 16, p. 98.

64 Pant, G.N. (1978), Op. Cit., p. 57.

65 Mackey, E.J.H., (1943), Chanhudaro Excavation, Pls. LXVII and LXXI.

66 Agrawal, D.P. (1971), The Copper Bronze Age in India, p. 198.

67 IAR (1971-72), p. 51, PL LXV B.

68 IAR (1976-77), p. 82, PL. LXIII A.

69 Shrivastava, Suryakant (1988-89), Some more copper objects from

Sheorajpur, in Puratattva No. 19, p. 70.

70 Sharma, D.P. (2002), copper hoard Collection in the National Museum,

New Delhi in National Museum, Bulletin No. 9, p. 60.

71 Gupta, S.P. (1979-80) ‘A new tool type the copper hoard’ in Puratattva

No. 11, p. 127-28.

225

72 Sharma, D.P. (2002) copper hoard Collection in the National Museum,

New Delhi : 1987 collection in Puratattva, No. 17, p. 40

73 Ibid., p. 40.

74 Yule, Paul (1985), Op. Cit., p. 86, fig. 1003.

75 Ibid, p. 86, fig. 1004–07.

76 Lal, Makkhan (1984), Settlement History and rise of civilization in

Ganga-Yamuna Doab, p. 47.

77 Lal, B.B. (1951). Further copper hoard from the Gangetic Besin and a

review of problem’ in Puratattva No. 7, pp. 20-39.

78 Sharma, D.P. (2002), Newly discovered copper hoard, weapons of

South Asia, p. 55

79 Ibid, p. 54.

80 Sharma, D.P. and Madhuri Sharma (1993), ‘New Light on

Anthropomorphic figure’ in National Museum Bulletin No. 7 & 8,

p. 43.

81 Gaur, R.C. (1981), One more hoard from the Ganga Basin and a

Reassessment of the Problem in M.D. Deshpande (ed.), pp. 73-74.

82 Rao, S.R. ‘Mining and Metallargy of Copper in Ancient India in B.M.

Pande (Eds.) Archaeology and History, Vol. I, pp. 383-98.

83 Yule, Paul (1989), The copper hoard in India : New find, New Result,

South Asia, Archaeology, pp. 465-67.

84 Sharma D.P. (2002), Op. Cit., p. 55.

85 Ibid.

86 Sharma, D.P. and Madhuri Sharma (1993), Op. Cit. p. 46.

87 Agrarwal, D.P. and J.S. Kharakwal (2003), Op. Cit., p. 200.

88 Ibid, p. 199.

89 Sharma, Madhuri (2000), “Unpublished copper hoard in some private

collection of India”, Bajpai K.D., Rajesh Jamidar and P.K. Trivedi (eds.)

Cleaning of Indian Archaeology history and culture, Vol. I, p. 70.

90 Sharma, D.P. and Madhuri (1993), New light on Anthropomorphic

figure’s in National Museum Bulletin, No. 7, p. 43.

91 Kumar, Krishan (2009), The Revised typology and identification of

protohistoric copper/Bronze anthropomorphic : some reflection on the

iconography of two unique anthropomorphic figure from North India, In

Pragdhara, No. 19, p. 188.

92 Lal, Makkhan (1984), op. cit., pp. 43-44.

93 Saini, Sukhdev (2005), op. cit., p. 67

94 Sharma, Madhuri (2000), “Unpublished copper hoard in some private

collection of India”, Bajpai K.D., Rajesh Jamidar and P.K. Trivedi (eds.)

Cleaning of Indian Archaeology history and culture, p. 76.

95 Agrawal, D.P. and J.S. Kharakwal (2003), Op. Cit., p. 199.


97 Sharma, D.P. (2002) ‘Newly Discovered copper hoard Weapons of

South Asia’, p. 42, fig. 131.

98 Sharma, D.P., Madhuri Sharma & Ajit Kumar Chaudhary (2010), New

copper hoard in upper Ganga Plain, in shift Poradigm (eds),

Archaeology of the Ganga Basin, p. 216.


100 Gupta, S.P. (1963), The copper hoard : The problems of homogeneity,

stage of development, origin, anthroship and dating : Journal of Bihar

Research Society, Vol. 19, pp. 1-7.

226

101 Pant, G.N. (1978), Indian Arms and Armour, p. 46.

102 Sharma, D.P. (2002), ‘Copper Hoards Collection in the National Museum,

New Delhi’, in National Museum, Bulletin, No. 9, pp. 61-62.

103 Pant, G.N. (1978), Op. Cit., p. 46.


105 Ibid., pp. 50-51.

106 Agrawal, D.P. and J.S. Kharkwal (2003), Op. Cit., p. 207.

107 Des Gupta, Nupur (1977), Op. Cit., p. 470.


109 Geldern, R.H. (1936), Archaeological traces of the vedic Aryan, In

Journal of Indian Society of Oriental Art, pp. 7-16.

110 Kumar, S.V. (2006), “The copper hoard culture of the Indo-Genetic

plains – A mystery unravelled in Puratattva No. 36, pp. 112-14.

111 Lal, Makkhan (1984), Op. Cit.; p. 50-51.

112 Lal, Makkhan (1981), ‘Copper hoard culture of India : A reassessment’,

in Puratattva No. 12, pp. 75-76.

113 Gupta, S.P. (1963), Op. Cit., p. 5.

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