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{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Saridkel
|alternate_name = Saridkhel, Saradkel
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|map_type = India Jharkhand#India
|map_alt =
|map_size = 270
|relief = y
|coordinates = {{Coord|23.059693|N|85.335188|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
|location = [[Jharkhand]], [[India]]
|region = [[Khunti district]]
|type = Settlement
|part_of =
|length =
|width =
|area =
|height =
|builder =
|material = burnt bricks
|built = c.20 BCE - c.100 CE
|abandoned =
|epochs = [[Middle kingdoms of India]]
|cultures =
|dependency_of =
|occupants =
|event =
|excavations = 2004
|archaeologists =
|condition =
|ownership =
|management =
|public_access =
|website =
|notes =
}}
'''Saridkel''' is an ancient site located in the [[khunti district]] of [[Jharkhand]]. There are ancient ruins of burnt brick houses found on the site along with redware pottery, copper tools, coins, gold earrings and iron tools.<ref name="asiranchicircle">{{Cite web|url=https://www.asiranchicircle.in/Attractions-Of-ASI/Asura-Site-Saridkhel.html|title=Asura Site Saridkhel|website=asiranchicircle|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="academia.edu2013">{{Cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/16494732/THE_NEOLITHIC_AND_CHALCOLITHIC_CULTURE_OF_JHARKHAND|title=THE NEOLITHIC AND CHALCOLITHIC CULTURE OF JHARKHAND|author=Subhashis Das|publisher=academia.edu|date=2013|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> Well fortified buildings suggest that it was probably a royal house or Monastery belonging to the 1st or 2nd century CE, according to the archeological department.<ref name="Excavation"/>

==History==
British discovered the place. They found burnt brick, water tanks, pottery, Coins, Cooper and iron tools in Sarikel. They discovered urn burials with copper and gold ornaments in Khuntitola village near the site. They found ruin of stone Shiva temple, Shiva linga and stone bull in nearby village. The gold coin was of [[Huvishka]] type.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/journalofbiharre01bihauoft/journalofbiharre01bihauoft_djvu.txt|title=The journal of the Bihar research society|publisher=Bihar and Orissa Research Society|year=1915|page=232|access-date=3 November 2022}}</ref> [[Sarat Chandra Roy]] investigated it in 1915. He found redware potsherds, ancient bricks, copper hooks, rods, coins, iron arrow heads, chisels, nails and ploughshares, gold ear ornament and stone beads on the site.<ref name="asiranchicircle"/><ref name="academia.edu2013"/> There are several ancient sites located around the 20 villages in the region such as Khunti tola, Kunjala. The sites of Kunjala exhibited redware pottery with coarse fabric and the urn burial in Khunti tola exhibited red ware pottery with coarse fabric, copper and iron tools. S.C Roy called it [[Asura]] forts and belongs to early centuries CE. [[Amalananda Ghosh]] also visited the site in 1944 and declared it as very promising sites among all Asura sites.<ref name="academia.edu2013"/> The Brahmi inscription also found which are from 3rd century BCE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360485893|title=Inscriptions in Jharkhand: A Preliminary Study|author=Lalit Aditya|date=October 2018|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

==Excavations==
Saridkel site was excavated in 2004 under A.S.I Ranchi. It revealed two occupational periods belong to the same culture. Early settlements had use of baked bricks, charcoal, iron slag and sand. It suggests iron smelting. Period II suggests building activities. Wall were found with the use of backing bricks of size 41 x 26 x 7 cm on the periphery of mounds with the alignment of the river to protect the settlement. Wheel made pottery found and characterized by coarse fabric with thick section and red colour. The Pottery was of [[redware]], grey, [[Black and red ware|black and red]] [[slipware]]. The ledged lid, flat-based bowl, sprinkler, and incised decorated design suggest a [[Kushan]] influence. Iron objects with large iron slags were found. Copper objects, hooks and rods, clay sealings, [[copper coins]], terracotta, hop-scotches, [[terracotta]] human and animal figurines, [[beads]] of [[chalcedony]], agate and carnelian and a two-legged saddle quern were found. A [[Sivalinga]] and Yoni was also discovered. The carbon dating of these materials gave date of 20 BC to 100 AD.<ref name="academia">{{Cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/12377598|title=Tracing Assur metalworkers into the mists of Bronze Age|website=academia|page=55-56|access-date=26 October 2022}}</ref> Well fortified buildings suggest it was probably a royal house or Monastery belonging to the 1st or 2nd century CE.<ref name="Excavation">{{Cite web|url=https://www.asiranchicircle.in/excavation-exploration.html#|title=ExcavationExploration|website=asiranchicircle|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

Excavation at Urn burial sites Khuntitola exhibited red ware pottery with coarse fabrics, copper ornaments and beads of stone and copper.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.asiranchicircle.in/Attractions-Of-ASI/Asura-Site-Khuntitola.html|title=Asura Site Khuntitola|website=asiranchicircle|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> A tiny metal of man plugging with two bulls was also discovered.<ref name="academia"/> Excavation at Kunjala exhibited burnt bricks of 22 x 6 cm and 44 x 23 x 5.5 cm length and buildings of four rooms. The largest room was 5 x 4 x 0.15 meters and the smallest was 2.5 meters with a veranda. Red ware pottery with coarse fabrics and terracotta red in colour was found. It dates to the early centuries CE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.asiranchicircle.in/Attractions-Of-ASI/Asura-Site-Kunjala.html|title=Asura Site Kunjala|website=asiranchicircle|access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{South Chotanagpur Division topics}}

[[Category:Jharkhand]]
[[Category:History of Jharkhand]]

Saridkel - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article