A Quick Guide to Dholavira Archaeological Museum in Gujarat

Dholavira Archaeological Museum, despite its small size, has a good collection of archaeological finds, maps of trade routes, and plenty of photographs of the site when the work was on. After a visit to the Dholavira Harappan site, it was easier to relate to the findings systematically arranged and displayed. These archaeological remains helped understand and interpret the lives of its inhabitants. They tell the stories of the life people who were part of Indus Valley Civilization. Here is a quick Guide to Dholavira Archaeological Museum.

Brief History of Dholavira Archaeological Site

It was a chance discovery of broken seals and terracotta pieces by the local farmers of Dholavira. The farmer was educated and aware enough to find the resemblance with seals that were found Harappa site in Pakistan. Archaeologist JP Joshi who was working in nearby Ropar archaeological site was informed and called for further inspections and testing. In 1968 JP Joshi was credited to being the discoverer of the site.

Excavations at Dholavira started only 25 years later in 1990 under RS Bisht of the Archaeological Survey of India which went on between the years 1990 to 2004. These excavations resulted in more discoveries and the objects were collected for further study and many of them are now displayed in the museum.

Fossilized traditional cart

Exhibits in Archaeological Museum Dholavira

On stepping in the first thing that caught my eye was a traditional fossilized bullock cart. People of Kachch (Kutch) region use similar kind of carts even today thus proving the continuity from Harappan period. Inhabitants of that era have vanished but not the means of living!

Terracotta Objects – Personal items of people like jewellery, especially terracotta jewellery, too were found in plenty. They were broken pieces though. Some of them had engravings and paints on them. These are proofs how the women then took care to adorn jewels and maintain good appearance. In the National Museum of Athens I had seen the jewellery worn by women of Mycenaean period, approximately 1600–1100 BC.

Terracotta wheels, very small sized ones, which are assumed to be parts of toy cart frames used by children, are on display. The wheels found had traces of paints.

Perforated Potsherds – Potsherds of perforated jars are found in plenty in the Harappan site of Dholavira. Some had paintings and graffiti on them. Imagine the excitement I had when we spotted one such piece during our walk there. When I held it, I felt I was holding ‘prehistoric time’ in my hands! Archaeologists have not been able to conclude what use this could have been put to then.

Perforated potsherd found in Dholavira site

Stone Muller – Another familiar object found was the stone muller, worn out ones, indicating they were a regular use object. One can easily conclude they made paste of masala to add to food while cooking or eating. Today we have electric grinders for the same purpose but in villages and those who like authentic taste use these stone and muller sets.

Bead Workshop – In one of the rooms they found a huge cache of beads – 841! They were sorted into 643 camelian, 143 red jasper, 27 black and white agate, 15 sandstone, 13 lapis lazuli. Must be a rich lady’s house, I concluded, or it could be the bead workshop. The Harappans in their time had superior drilling technology; they used harder material known as ernestite for making perforations. There are some remnants of these stone instruments they found at the time of excavation.

Seals and Sealings – Don’t miss the section showcasing the seals and sealings. They are tiny one can easily miss them in the site if you don’t keenly observe. Here in the museums, these tiny seals were lined up and displayed on shelves each of them smaller than a coin. They had animal figurines and fine calligraphy etched on them. Archaeologists have concluded that these seals were used to seal cargo to prevent tampering of goods and to identify their source. This inference is made from the clay sealings which bear positive impressions of seals.

Seals – Guide to Dholavira Archaeological Museum

Maps and Pictures – The museum has a great variety of small photos of similar instruments and other findings in the different Indus Valley Civilization sites discovered around the world. The museum had one hall dedicated completely for these pictures.

Dholavari Archaeological Museum timings and ticket prices

Opening times: every day from 9 AM until 5 PM. I am not aware of different opening times in the winter months.

Ticket price: 5 INR for all types of tourists.

Needless to mention: bring a facemask. The museum is air conditioned and has free water. No shops around for snacks or water.

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