An Indo-Japanese joint excavation at Kanmer was undertaken in 2006 by the Institute of Rajasthan Studies, RIHN, JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, Archeology Department, Gujarat and Japanese team[clarification needed].[3]
Architecture
The site was strongly fortified despite being small, perhaps because it may have been located on a trade route between Sindh and Saurashtra.[3]
Findings
A rich ceramic assemblage, representing the Mature Harappan culture, was found at this site.[3] Three clay seals were found, each featuring Indus scripts, as well as central holes allowing them to function as pendants.[4] A large number of bead-making goods — 150 stone beads and roughouts, 160 drill bits, 433 faience beads and 20,000 steatite beads — were found here, indicating the site's importance as an industrial unit. Agate quarries were also located at a distance of 20 kilometres (12mi) from the site.[5]
Importance
The figures appearing on clay seals and their similarity with those of Mohenjo-daro indicate Kanmer's association with bigger trade centres like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.[5]
12Agrawal, D. P.; Kharakwal, J. S.; Rawat, Y. S.; Osada, T.; Goyal, Pankaj. "Redefining the Harappan Hinterland". Antiquity.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
Further reading
KHARAKWAL, J.S., Y.S. RAWAT & T. OSADA.(2008) Preliminary observations on the excavation at Kanmer, Kachchh, India, in T. Osada & A. Uesugi (ed.) Linguistics, Archaeology and the Human past (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Occasional Paper 5): 5-24. Kyoto: Research Institute for Humanity and Nature.
