In a groundbreaking excavation led by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), ancient Chalcolithic-era artifacts have been unearthed in Tilwara village of Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. Located just 10 kilometers from the renowned archaeological site of Sinauli, this newly excavated mound has revealed objects believed to be around 4,000 years old, offering fresh insights into the early civilizations of the Indian subcontinent. The first phase of the excavation began on December 10, 2024. Over a dozen trenches have been dug on the site, where the ASI team uncovered a variety of historical items including pottery, copper artifacts, bricks, royal-style coffins, and beads. Particularly significant is the discovery of a coffin-like structure along with a chariot, resting on a brick platform a find that mirrors the earlier discoveries at Sinauli. Dr. Amit Roy, Director of the Shahjahan Rai Institute, emphasized the striking resemblance between the Tilwara and Sinauli artifacts. “The carving, soil structure, and the copper vessels from both sites are almost identical,” he said. Among the key discoveries are geometric engravings on large copper plates, rectangular plates, copper pots, and daggers indicating a shared cultural and technological lineage between the two sites.
बागपत जिले के तिलवाड़ा साकिन में ताम्रपाषाण काल की वस्तुएं मिली हैं, यानि लगभग 4000 वर्ष पुरानी.
खुदाई में पुरातत्वशास्त्रियों को मिट्टी के बर्तन, तांबे की वस्तुएं, ईंट और मनके मिले हैं. तांबे के एक बड़े चौकोर टुकड़े पर ज्यामितीय आकृतियां उकेरी गई हैं.#Chalcolithic #Meerut pic.twitter.com/b6JXwnZIeh
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According to ASI Superintendent Vinod Kumar Rawat from the Meerut Circle, the final phase of the Baghpat excavation has yielded a chamber system dating back to approximately 2000 BCE. A matte copper artifact, believed to be about 1,000 years old, was also recovered. Rawat suggested that many of the items bear hallmarks of the Late Harappan culture, pointing to a continuity or interaction between these ancient settlements. Thousands of years old pottery pieces further bolster this connection. The findings from Tilwara, Baghpat will be transported to the ASI office in Meerut for further examination and documentation. A detailed report on the excavation will follow.
The discoveries at Tilwara come in the wake of earlier sensational finds at Sinauli. The Sinauli site first garnered attention during ASI-led excavations in 2005–06 and again in 2018. It is widely known for the unearthing of South Asia’s first known chariots, featuring a fixed axle and dual-animal yoke, indicative of horse-driven transportation. A vast burial site with 126 graves was also discovered, dating back to around 1900 BCE. Experts believe the burial practices reflected Vedic traditions, with cloth impressions on bodies hinting at ritual purification rites akin to those still observed in Hinduism. The latest discoveries at Tilwara further underscore the rich archaeological heritage of western Uttar Pradesh and promise to reshape our understanding of India’s ancient civilizations.
