Author: Rajyasri Rao in Delhi
Publication: BBC News
Date: May 22, 2001
Marine experts have discovered a
clump of archaeological structures deep beneath the sea off India's western
coast.
Although the discovery has not yet
been accurately dated, the structures are said to resemble archeological
sites belonging to the Harappan civilisation, dating back more than 4,000
years.
This is the first time man-made
structures have been found in this part of the Arabian Sea which is known
as the Gulf of Cambay.
The team leader, M Ravindran, told
the BBC that they first noticed the huge structures while examining acoustic
images collected from under the sea bed.
Ancient settlement?
The group was routinely investigating
the Gulf of Cambay to monitor pollution levels, using devices able to penetrate
at least 10 metres deep beneath the sea bed.
The images gathered over the past
six months led to a surprising discovery - a series of well-defined geometric
formations were clearly seen, spread irregularly across a nine-kilometre
(five-mile) stretch, a little beneath the sea bed.
Some of them closely resemble an
acropolis - or great bath - known to be characteristic of the Harappan
civilisation.
The Gulf of Cambay is one of the
largest tidal areas in the world - with a current of very high velocity
- and so it is conceivable that the area may well have submerged an entire
ancient settlement, Mr Ravindran said.
But archaeologists are far more
sceptical.
Closer study
A leading marine archaologist says
that far more detailed investigations need to be done to confirm the exact
date of the structures.
S R Rao, who has spent years researching
the nearby Gulf of Kutch, said the only conclusive way of establishing
the antiquity of the site was by studying pieces of submerged pottery from
the same area.
Mr Rao's own research led to the
discovery of the first tidal dock in the world - built at around 2300 BC
in the port town of Lothal - at the head of the Gulf of Cambay.
But he says much more research and
evidence is required to categorise the latest discovery in the same manner.
Numerous Harappan archeological
sites have been found in northern and western India, as well as neighbouring
Pakistan.
