Bhirrana
Topic: Harappan (Sindhu-Sarasvati) Civilisation · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 6 "The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation"; Class 9, Ch 4 "Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation"
Meaning
Bhirrana is a Harappan site in Fatehabad district, Haryana, in the dried Ghaggar (Sarasvati) river basin. It was a town of the Harappan civilisation, and people lived there across all its stages. Some radiocarbon dates put the start of its pre-Harappan settlement at about 7000–5500 BCE. Radiocarbon dating is a scientific way to date remains. These dates make Bhirrana one of the oldest sites of the Harappan tradition.
Example
Bhirrana and nearby Kunal, both in the Sarasvati basin of Haryana, give the earliest pre-Harappan dates. Together they support the view that Harappan towns grew slowly from local farming villages in this region. Nearly two-thirds of all Harappan settlements lie in this basin.
Don't confuse with
- Banawali: Banawali is another Haryana site in the Sarasvati basin. It is known for a terracotta (baked clay) model of a plough, not for very early dates.