1994-95 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

BSIP
Programme 7.5
Objective
Plant remains from Pre- and Proto-Historic sites in northern
and northwestern India
To study agricultural practices in COil/ext of differell/ cultures
in time and space
To sketch the perspectives of ecological potell/ial oj contemporary
agro-ecosystem and their contemplated further development
To determine the interaction oj pre-historic man with the floral
wealth
To reconstruct regional models oj ecological conditions around
the cultural settlements
The plant remains recovered from Banawali, district Hissar, Haryana amply demonstrate
a rich and varied plant economy of Pre-Harappan and Mature Harappan communities,
from 2,750 to 2,000 B.C. Crop remains from Pre-Harappan period (2,750-2,500 B.C.)
include hulled-barley (Hordeum vulgare), naked-barley (H. vulgare var. nudum), emmerwheat
(Triticum dicoccum), dwarf-wheat (T sphaerococcum), bread-wheat (T aestivum),
club-wheat (T compactum), jowar-millet (Sorghum bicolor), horse-granl (Dolichos biflorus),
field-pea (Pistlln arvense), lentil (Lens wlinaris), chick-pea (Cicer arietinum), grasspea
(Lathyrus sativus), sesame or til (Sesamum indicum) and field-brassica (Brassicajuncea).
Associated seeds and fruits of weeds and other wild plants in the food grains belong to
Setaria sp., Zdp/ws ntllnlllu/aria, Tamarindus indica and Triall/hellla triquetra.
Among the finds from the Mature Harappan levels (2,500-2,000 B.C.), most of which
are of the same kind as from Pre-Harappan levels, rice (Oryza sativa), green-gram (Vigna
radiata), black-gram (v. lIIungo), fenugreek (TrigonellaJoenum-graewlll) and date (Phoenix
sp.) are new discoveries. Remains of weeds and wild taxa belong to Vicia sp., Ficus
religiosa, Trianthema triquetra, Zizip/uls 11l11lllllUlaria, Vetivaria zizallioides, Ipomoea sp.,
Dactyloctenillln sp., Albizia sp., SolanulII sura tense and some indeterminate grass caryapses.
From the same site discovery of a carboni sed sample having components of herbal
shampoo, still used in the present times, is first of its own kind in the world archaeological
context to amply demonstrate the sense of hygiene and the understanding of chemical properties
of plant products in the Pre-Harappan communities in India during 2,750-2,500 B.C.
II contains the fruits of an indigenous wild soapnut or reetha (Sapindus elllarginatus), a
substitute lor soap obtained from south India through trade and locally available fJuits and
seeds of Shikakai (Acacia mgata) and Anwala (Emblica officinalis) both of which are used
as detergent for shampooing hair and to promote their growth.
Wood charcoals from Pre-Harappans and Mature Harappan levels belonging to
Prosopis cf. P. spicigera, Phoenix sp., Albizia lebbeck, Moms alba, Ziziphus sp., Ficus cf.
g/omerata and Azadirachta indica have been found.
K.S. Saraswat
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