Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia: Difference between revisions

'''Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia''' (10 December 1908 – 28 January 1989) was an Indian [[Sanskrit]] scholar and [[archaeologist]] specialising in proto- and ancient Indian history. He is considered to have pioneered archaeological excavation techniques in [[India]], with several significant discoveries from the [[prehistoric]] period to his credit. Sankalia received the [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] award in 1966.

At age fifteen, Sankalia read the [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] translation of [[Lokmanya Tilak]]'s ''[[The Arctic Home in the Vedas]]''. Although he understood little of the book (p. 6), he was determined to "do something to know about the Aryans in India" (ibid.).{{Quote without source|date=January 2019}} To this end, Sankalia decided to emulate Tilak and study [[Sanskrit]] and [[mathematics]]. He received a B.A. degree in Sanskrit, and received the Chimanlal Ranglal Prize. Sankalia made Indian prehistory his life's work, and never lost sight of the origin of the [[Indo-Aryan peoples]].<ref>Archaeology and Indian Universities, Presidential Address at the Archaeology Section of the All India Oriental Conference, 16th Session, Lucknow. Pune: Deccan College. (1952a)</ref> (1962c: 125; 1963a: 279-281; 1974: 553-559; 1978a: 79, etc.). He studied English, which introduced him to textual criticism (p.&nbsp;7), and wrote an article on [[Kundamala]] and the [[Uttararamacarita]] in which he convincingly proved that Dinnaga (author of the former) influenced Bhavabhuti (author of the latter).<ref>Kundamala and Uttararamacarita. St. Xavier’s College Magazine: 22: 63 - 76. (1930)</ref> Bengali scholar K. K. Dutt arrived at similar conclusion independently of Sankalia.<ref>Dutt, K. K. 1964. Kundamala (Critical Edition). Calcutta: Sanskrit College.</ref>  

Sankalia studied ancient Indian history for his M. A. degree at the new Indian Historical Research Institute (now the Heras Institute),{{cn|date=January 2019}} and worked on the ancient university at [[Nalanda]] for his M.A. [[Thesis|dissertation]]. His dissertation included chapters on history, art and architecture, iconography and the influence of the Nalanda school of art on [[History of Indian influence on Southeast Asia|Greater India]] (particularly [[Java]]).<ref>University of Nalanda. Calcutta: B. G. Paul & Co. (2nd revised edition, New Delhi: 1973). (1934)</ref> Sankalia visited a number of sites, and studied [[Buddhism]] with B. Bhattacharya (p.&nbsp;10). These studies led to his later study of Gujarat. He passed the [[LLB]] examinations at the request of his father and uncle (who were both lawyers), and was expected to follow them (cf. pp.&nbsp;10, 13, 28). However, Sankalia decided to go to [[England]] for his doctoral degree. He wrote an essay, "Caitya caves in the Bombay Presidency", which earned the [[Bhagwan Lal Indraji]] prize.{{cn|date=January 2019}}

Sankalia left for England, and enrolled at the [[University of London]] for his [[PhD]] on the archaeology of [[Gujarat]]. He studied under [[Bernard Ashmole]] (Roman [[classical archaeology]]), Sidney Smith ([[Sumerian language]]), K. de B. Codrington ([[museology]]), F. J. Richards ([[Archaeology in India|Indian archaeology]]) and R. E. M. Wheeler (field archaeology) (p.&nbsp;18).

He also conducted other expeditions in Gujarat. During his second expedition, Sankalia found the first human Stone Age skeleton.{{cn|date=January 2019}} The [[Mesolithic]] site of Langhnaj, "the first Stone Age site to have been excavated scientifically",{{Quote without source|date=January 2019}} was excavated [[Stratigraphy (archaeology)|stratigraphically]]. [[F. E. Zeuner]], an authority on environmental archaeology, was invited by Wheeler to interpret the [[Paleoclimatology|palaeoclimate]] of Gujarat. Sankalia was profoundly influenced by Zeuner,<ref>J. D. Clark in Man and Environment 1989 – 14(1): 144</ref> from whom he learnt [[geochronology]], geology, the stratigraphy of geological deposits and [[pluvial]] and inter-pluvial mechanics.<ref>J. D. Clark in Man and Environment 1989 – 14(1): 144</ref>

Sankalia excavated the [[Kolhapur]] site in 1945-46 with M. G. Dikshit (Sankalia and Dikshit 1952). Before the excavation, his detailed surveys of the banks of the [[Godavari River]] and its tributaries revealed a [[Lithic flake|flake]]-tool industry.<ref>Studies in the Prehistory of Deccan (Maharashtra ): a survey of the Godavari and the Kadva, near Niphad. Bulletin of Deccan College Research Institute: 4(3): 1-16. (1943)</ref><ref>Studies in the Prehistory of the Deccan (Maharashtra): a further survey of the Godavari (March 1944). Bulletin of Deccan College Research Institute: 6: 131-137. (1945)</ref> These findings were also observed in a stratigraphical deposit at Gangapur (Gangawadi), near [[Nasik]], where flakes, cleavers and hand axes<ref>The Godavari Palaeolithic Industry. Poona: Deccan College. (1952b)</ref> were discovered. This developed industry, as later research proved, was part of the [[Middle Palaeolithic]]. Sankalia's explorations in the [[Pravara River]] valley (at Nevasa) yielded palaeolithic industries and animal [[fossil]]s.<ref>Animal fossils and Palaeolithic industries from the Pravara Basin at Nevasa, District Ahmednagar. Ancient India: 12: 32 -52. (1956)</ref>

Sankalia's success at Nasik–Jorwe inspired him to excavate the site at [[Maheshwar]] (the Mahishmati of the Haihayas, as described in the Puranas) to prove the tradition's historicity. The excavation was carried out at the site and at [[Navdatoli]] in 1952-53 in a joint expedition with the [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda]]. This revealed a developed [[chalcolithic]] culture dating to between the decline of the [[Harappan Civilisation]] and the beginning of the Early Historical Period, largely explaining the hiatus between the periods. The culture was interpreted by Sankalia, mainly on the basis of resemblance of its pottery to that of [[History of Iran|Iran]], as of Aryan origin.<ref>Excavation at Maheshwar and Navdatoli, 1952-53. Poona and Baroda: Deccan College and M. S. University. (With B. Subbarao and S. B. Deo.) (1958)</ref> The horizontal excavation at Navdatoli was made in 1957-59 to reveal the settlement pattern, reconstruct the socioeconomic life of the chalcolithic people, and corroborate Sankalia's Aryan hypothesis.<ref>Chalcolithic Navdatoli. Poona and Baroda: Deccan College and M. S. University. (With S. B. Deo and Z. D. Ansari.) (1971)</ref>

After establishing the cultural sequence of the Chalcolithic cultures in Deccan and Central India, Sankalia wanted to reconstruct the lives of the Chalcolithic people with large-scale horizontal excavations at Nevasa and Navdatoli. The former site was found to be highly disturbed and the deposits overlying the Chalcolithic layers were too thick to be thoroughly removed, and the plan was abandoned. The site of [[Inamgaon]] was well-preserved, however, and was excavated over a 12-year period. After Sankalia’s retirement in 1973 the excavation was completed by Z. D. Ansari and M. K. Dhavalikar, and its report was published in three volumes.<ref>Dhavalikar, M. K., Z. D. Ansari and H. D. Sankalia. 1988. Excavations at Inamgoan. I (i & ii) Pune: Deccan College.</ref>

* "Megalithic Monuments near Poona". ''Bulletin of Deccan College Research Institute''. 1: 178-184. (1940a)

* "Studies in the Prehistory of the Deccan (Maharashtra): a further survey of the Godavari (March 1944)". ''Bulletin of Deccan College Research Institute'': 6: 131-137. (1945)

* "A primary Palaeolithic site-the Deccan College Campus, Pune, India". ''The Explorer’s Journal'': 63(1): 8-9. (1985a)

* "Follow-up on a Palaeolithic site in India". ''The Explorer’s Journal'': 63(3): 136-137. (1985b)