Hidden across valleys, terraces, foothills and riverine landscapes of Brahmani river in Bonai subdivision of Sundargarh district lies a largely overlooked archaeological heritage that is now reshaping the understanding of the region’s early past.Archaeologists have identified 40 sites along Brahmani river, uncovering evidence of settled human occupation dating to the Iron Age, early historic and early medieval periods.The emerging archaeological record suggests the area was not a peripheral landscape but an active zone of human habitation, technological innovation and cultural interaction.Archaeological interest in the region dates back to the late-1950s, when G C Mohapatra of Deccan College, Pune, reported palaeolithic stone tools from seven locations along Brahmani.The pioneering work was followed in the 1980s by P K Behera of Sambalpur University, whose explorations documented remains representing different cultural phases. His investigations identified palaeolithic and neolithic remains as well as pottery-bearing settlements associated with the Iron Age and early historic periods. Trial excavations at sites such as Bargaon and Amrahuli yielded valuable insights into the region’s cultural sequence.“Brahmani river valley is not merely a geographical corridor; it is a living archaeological landscape that preserves the story of human adaptation and cultural transformation through the ages,” Behera had said.Explorations conducted between 2016 and 2019 expanded beyond the main Brahmani channel to its tributaries and adjoining landscapes. Investigations by Subodha Mendaly in Rukuda river valley, a tributary of Brahmani, identified several prehistoric stone tool-bearing localities.The lithic assemblages include scrapers, burins, notches, denticulates, retouched flakes, levallois cores and discoidal cores. The findings offer important insights into the activities of prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities, their tool-making traditions, mobility patterns and use of locally available raw materials.Equally significant is the geographical spread of these discoveries. They show that prehistoric communities were not confined to the immediate banks of Brahmani. Human activity extended into tributary valleys, foothills and uplands, revealing a much broader prehistoric cultural landscape.A major development in recent archaeological research came with a systematic survey of Bonai subdivision by Sakir Hussain, assistant professor of history at Govt Autonomous College, Sundargarh, which received financial support from Odisha State Higher Education Council between 2021 and 2023.The survey documented 40 archaeological sites, including 33 newly identified sites and seven previously reported sites.“Brahmani river valley is an untapped archaeological archive whose settlements preserve the story of human adaptation, technological innovation and cultural continuity,” Hussain had said.The survey substantially expanded the archaeological map of the region. Based on surface pottery, structural remains and associated artefacts, the sites have broadly been assigned to the Iron Age, early historic and early medieval.Pottery is among the most abundant archaeological materials recovered from the sites. Assemblages include black-and-red ware, black slipped ware, red slipped ware, red polished ware, plain red ware and black/grey wares. Researchers identified a variety of vessel forms, including bowls, dishes, globular pots, handis, basins, spouted vessels and lids.The discovery of iron objects and iron slag is particularly significant, pointing to the presence of iron-working activities and suggesting metallurgy formed an important component of the local economy.Other finds, including pottery discs, stone pestles, brick fragments and beads made of glass and semi-precious stones, indicate a range of craft and domestic activities.The presence of glass and semi-precious stone beads is especially noteworthy.Despite its archaeological potential, Bonaigarh’s heritage faces serious threats. Agricultural expansion, river erosion, modern construction, land modification and other human activities are gradually damaging archaeological deposits.Researchers have called for urgent documentation and scientific investigation before archaeological evidence is permanently lost.
