Class 11: Archaeological Sites of Bangladesh

Wari-Bateshwar & Mahasthangarh

 Archaeological Sites of Bangladesh
1. Wari-Bateshwar, 2. Mahasthangarh.

We know that our cultural heritage is very rich as

is evident from the various archaeological
excavations at different sites in Bangladesh. The
Study of archaeological remains began in
Bangladesh from the second half of the Nineteen
century. Today we will discuss our cultural heritage
that is archaeological remains of Bangladesh
particularly Wari-Bateshwar and Mahasthangarh.
1. Wari-Bateshwar

Wari-Bateshwar, Narsingdi Etched beads, Wari-Bateshwar

 4. Wari-Bateshwar
• This archaeological site is located throughout the
villages of Wari and Bateshwar at Belabo Thana in
Narshingdi. These twin villages under Shibpur upazila
of Narshingdi district is the most ancient location in
the country.
• Many pre-historic tools of fossil wood, stone beads,
broken pieces of pottery, etc., had been found here
for a long time.
• Recent excavations have discovered evidences of
ancient roads and human habitations here.
• The scholars think the signs so far discovered prove
that this area may be traced out by the researches to
be undertaken in future as the centre of earliest
urban civilization in Bangladesh.
 Md Hanif Pathan, a local school teacher, was the first
torch bearer to bring the archaeological significance of
the area to lime light in 1930s.
 Later his son Md Habibullah Pathan, an amateur
archaeologist, took the initiative to collect antiquities
and study them.
 From 2000 Dr. Sufi Mustafizur Rahman of the
Department of Archeology at Jahangirnagar University
has been closely involved in the excavation process.
 What is significant is that several miles around Wari and
Bateshwar there are sites bearing punch-marked coins
establishing the cultural, political and economic
importance of the entire region.
Wari-Bateshwar - Continue

• So far 50 archaeological sites were discovered in and

around Wari-Bateshwar fort-city located by the bank
of the river old Brahmaputra.
• It is evident from the pattern of the archaeological
sites that the ancient people established their
settlements in flood-free zone. This is also the
evidence of the knowledge of developed town
planning and intellectual height of the ancient
settlers.
• Similar settlement patterns are evident at
Mahasthangarh (Pundranagar)in Bogra and Allahabad
region of Uttar Pradesh, India.
Archaeological excavation, Wari-Bateshwar
 About 4 km away from Wari-Bateshwar in Shivpur Upazila a
Buddhist structure ( lotus temple) was found in Mondirbhita.
 In the premise of the temple there is a lotus having eight petals
made of red bricks probably symbolizing the ‘Eight Noble Paths’
of Buddhism: (i) Right View, (ii) Right Intention, (iii) Right
Speech, (iv) Right Action, (v) Right Livelihood, (vi) Right Effort,
(vii) Right Mindfulness and (viii) Right Concentration. Amongst
7-8 lotus found in the premise of the temple at least one exists
in one piece.
 The discovery of this Lotus Temple has added an important
dimension about the existence of Buddhist culture in ancient Wari-
Bateshwar.
 Another village called Jankhartek a large Buddhist vihara (viharika)
was found which suggests that the residents of Wari-Bateshwar
were Buddhists.
• Wari-Bateshwar is called a fort-city, city or urban centre.
Forts have been termed as cities in the Arthashastra by
Kautilya Kayata. He mentioned that a city is a living place
which is enclosed by high walls and moats. Rules and
regulations formulated by the artisans and trader groups
were in practice, in ancient city.
• Gordon Child stated that the features of an urbanization
include memorials, vast region with dense population, a
variety of classes of people (rulers, traders, artisans) who are
not associated with food production. Also magnificent
architecture is one of the important characteristics of
urbanisation. The urbanisation process also includes practice
of art, literature and science.
• According to Amalandu Ghosh, the prerequisites of the
emergence and development of a city are the administrative
framework and development of trader groups.
 For the presence of Old Brahmaputra river, it is assumed that
Wari-Bateshwar was a river port and a trade centre.
 Rouletted Ware, sandwich glass bead, knobbed ware,
northern black polished ware, different beads, amulets and
pendants etc. confirmed that Wari-Bateshwar had close
connection with the contemporary several places of Indian
subcontinent. It is also assumed that outside Indian
subcontinent, Wari-Bateshwar had relations with South-east
Asia.
 Besides, 18 meter long & 5 meter width country’s oldest
metal road has been discovered in the area.
 In Wari-Bateshwar, two types of punch-marked silver coins
have been discovered. However, the discovery of pre-historic
tools indicates the pre-historic settlement in the region which is
waiting to be explored.
 The time frame of the Wari-Batteshwar area dates back at least
about 600BC.
2. Mahasthangarh

Aerial view of Mahasthan site, Bogra

• One of the earliest urban archeological sites in Bangladesh after Wari-
Bateshwar.

• Mahasthangarh is in Bogra district. The pundra or pundranagara is the

earliest urban centre as well as the oldest city of Bengal, flourished
here during the 4th century B.C. the ruins of this have been identified
at Mahasthangarh in Bogra district.

• Mohasthangrah was another name of the area where Chinese traveler

Hiuen- Tsang visited in the 7th century. It was a provincial capital and a
center of administration during Mauryan Empire, Gupta(320 C.E-55o
C.E.) and Pala ((750–1174 A. D ) empires. Since that time, this city has
gone through a long process of development.

• Three functional or religious quarters such as Buddhist, Hindu and

Muslim sites in the Mahasthangarh urban area show layers of cultural
heritage both in tangible and intangible forms.
• The uses of land and sites show the indication of the early period of
urbanization in the Bengal basin.

• Apart from the buildings, there are also other movable objects or
cultural materials such as Mahasthangarh Brahmi inscription stone,
ceramics, Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW), Glazed ware,
Beads, Terracotta plaques and punch marked coins found in
Mahasthangarh.

• These artifacts are the examples of the high artistic standards and
creativity of Mauryan, Gupta, Pala, Sena and early Muslim periods.

• This city is also highly significant for the study of the evolution of
ancient urban planning of this ancient city as well as its suburbs.

• The true significance of the areas, however, lies not in the

individual mounds or monuments but in the whole area i.e. the
Mahasthangarh citadel and its hinterlands ( vicinities).
• Starting in the pre-Mauryan period and continuing up
to the Pala period, their appears to have been a
distinction maintained between different parts of
the urban hinterland;

• Specialized religious sites such as Buddhist

monasteries were found to the north-west of the
citadel, the population centers at the southern edge
of the city were the location of Hindu shrines, and
soon afterwards, Islamic monuments.
 Other Archaeological Evidences in Mahasthangarh
There are still several archaeological evidences in Mahasthangarh. They are as
follows:

(i) The Grave or Mazar area: The grave of Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahi Sarwar stands
on a very high place to the south-east corner of the archaeological site.
Adjacent to it, there is a mosque built in 1718. The archaeologists have
discovered here remains of the buildings of four periods.

(ii) Mankalir Kunda Mound: Broken pieces of ancient pottery have been found
here.

(iii) Parshuramer Bari: This is an old remain measuring 200 X 100 feet. It is said
that there was the palace of Parshuram, the last Hindu king of Mahasthan.
Terracotta plaques of the Pala periods are also found in this region.

(iv) Jiyat Kunda: It is a well with its radius measuring 12 feet 8 inches. There is a
large decorated piece of Granite near it. The well was probably dug in the 18th
century.
 Mahasthangarh
(v) Bairagir Bhita: This mound is located to the north of
Parshuram’s palace. The remains of a temple in the Pala period
have been found through the excavation.

(vi) Gobinda Bhita: It is situated outside the wall of the

Mahasthan Fort on the river of Karatoa. Here not only the remains
of temples from the Gupta period but also the evidences from the
Muslim period have been discovered.

(vii) Lakshinder’s Merh or Gokul Merh: The remains of a temple

are found at a place one mile south from Mahasthan.

(viii) Basubihara: It stands at a place 3-4 miles northwest of

Mahasthangarh. It is the remains of a Buddhist temple.
 Mahasthangarh

Eastern gateway of Mahasthangarh

Glassed pottery Beads (Semi precious stone)

 Mahasthangarh

Beads (glass)
Thank You