Banawali
Topic: Harappan (Sindhu-Sarasvati) Civilisation · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 6 "The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation"; Class 12, Ch 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones"
Meaning
Banawali is a Harappan town in Haryana, in the basin of the Sarasvatī (today's dry Ghaggar river). It is one of several towns in this river basin, which holds nearly two-thirds of all Harappan settlements. It matters because it shows how Harappan farmers ploughed their fields. The town was later abandoned when the Sarasvatī dried up in its central basin.
Example
A clay (terracotta) model of a plough was found at Banawali. Similar models were found at sites in Cholistan. Bulls also appear on Harappan seals. Together, these finds suggest that the Harappans ploughed their fields with oxen.
Don't confuse with
- Kalibangan: Kalibangan (Rajasthan) gave an actual ploughed field with furrows at right angles. Banawali gave a clay model of a plough.
- Bhirrana: Bhirrana is another Haryana site in the same basin. It is known for some of the earliest pre-Harappan dates, not for plough models.