Dwarka
Pilgrimage | Gujarat | India
Marine archaeology or underwater archaeology is a new and exciting kind of archaeology that is becoming important in many parts of the world...
Upinder Singh [] Updated On: 8/15/2009
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Marine archaeology or underwater archaeology is a new and exciting kind of archaeology that is becoming important in many parts of the world. In most countries, underwater archaeology usually deals with shipwrecks. But in India, we not only have shipwrecks but entire cities that have been swallowed by the sea. Underwater archaeologists are trying to excavate and find out more about these cities. The idea is to discover and then also try to preserve the historical heritage of our country that lies under the waves of the sea.

Like other branches of archaeology, underwater archaeology involves different kinds of specialists. To begin with, there are the marine archaeologists themselves, who not only have to be good archaeologists but also good divers as well. So if you are afraid of water, this is not the career for you! Others who help in the investigation of underwater sites are oceanographers, geologists, geophysicists, diver-photographers, and other kinds of technical experts.

Among the most exciting archaeological discoveries made in our country in recent years are those made off the coast of Dwarka and Bet Dwarka in Gujarat. Excavations have been going on here from 1983 onwards. These two places are 30 km away from each other. Dwarka is on the Arabian sea coast, and Bet Dwarka is in the Gulf of Kutch. Both these places are connected with legends about the God Krishna and there are many temples here, mostly belonging to the medieval period. Archaeologists were keen to find out whether there were any older remains off the coast at these places.

What sort of special equipment do marine archaeologists use?
The boats have to be supplied with underwater camera equipment. High pressure water jets are sometimes needed to dislodge the martial on the ocean floor. Arrangements have to be made to carefully lift things out of the water if necessary. The divers need to be provided with divine gear and air and oxygen cylinders. Underwater scooters are also a big help because the archaeologists can zoom along on them instead of tiring themselves out swimming ground the site. Different kinds of scientific instruments are also used. An echo sounding system registers a rise whenever the boat passes over an underwater object. A side scan electronic system gives a view of the sea floor. Underwater metal detectors held by divers give a signal if they sense any kind of metal object between 3-4 m away.

At Dwarka, marine archaeologists surveyed a large area covered by 3-12 meters of water. They discovered the remains of a submerged port-city that may be as old as about 1500 B.C. The city seems to have been about 1 km long and at least 1/2 km in breadth. Remains of the fortification walls that must have protected this ancient port city have also been found. We don't know how high these walls were, because very little of them remains. What was the need for these walls? Probably to protect the city from the tides and waves. The walls had gateways and circular or semi-circular bastions (projecting part of the wall) at regular intervals. There were at least six bastions. We can tell that ships were anchored against the walls, because many anchors have been found near them. Watchmen must have kept track of the sea and stormy weather from the bastions and could have sent out warnings when necessary.

Many of the things that are found in plenty at ordinary sites are difficult to find at underwater sites, because most small, light items simply get washed away by the sea. The things that have been found at Dwarka include stone anchors of different kinds, iron snakes and nails, and even some pieces of pottery. The anchors are of different shapes and sizes, some triangular, other roughly rectangular in shape. They have holes in them. Strong ropes were looped through these holes and fixed to wooden stakes. Most of the anchors are very heavy. They weigh 100-150 kg each. You can imagine how difficult it must have been for the marine archaeologists to move them! Clearly, very large ships were docking city. There are a few remains of walls, but it is difficult to figure out what the lay-out or plan of the ancient city was.

The island of Bet Dwarka seems to have been a satellite town, connected to the bigger and more imposing port-town of Dwarka. In ancient times, the two places may have been connected to each other with a narrow strip of land. Bet Dwarka too had fortifications around it. Apart from being involved in trade, the people who lived here seem to have specialized in boat-building, shell-working, pearl-diving, and may be metal-working. Archaeologists found the remains of a house with lots of pieces of conch shells. A craftsman who made things out of shell must have lived here. Another important find was an old inscription on a jar. There was also a seal made out of conch shell, which was engraved with the unusual design of an animal with three heads-that of a bull, a unicorn and a goat. Although the seal is Indian, the design is similar to those found in the Persian Gulf area. This suggests that the people of Bet Dwarka were trading with this area.

Both at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka, archaeologists found remains and objects belonging to later periods as well. These included remains of structures, stone statutes, objects made of copper, bronze, and brass, iron anchors and a wrecked boat. The dates for this second period are c. 200 B.C. to 200 A.D.. These and the dates for the older settlement have come from pottery dated by the thermoluminiscence method.

We don't know exactly now or why the sites of Dwarka and Bet Dwarka got submerged in water. It must have been because of sea levels rising or land levels going down. The first sort of thing can happen due to reasons such as a change in climate, and the second due to disturbances in the earth's crust.

The reason why underwater archaeology is such an exciting area can be guessed at if we remember that India has a 6200 km long coastline. Add to this the fact that there must be all kinds of crucial evidence about ancient cities, ports, and ships lying hidden on the sea-bed. Remember that at present, there are only a handful of marine archaeologists in the country. So if you like water and archaeology, this is the career for you!

Dwarka, Bet Dwarka, Dwarka in Gujarat, Underwater Archaeology, Gulf of Kutch, Submerged port-city, Marine archaeology