BURZAHOM (2375 B.C)
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The site is about 24 kms. north-east of Srinagar and is located on the ancient lake bed,locally called Uddar with a mountainous background. The earliest settlement of this site (Period-I) is in the form of a series of pits, dug into soft clay which are circular,oval,square and rectangular in plan.The circular oval pits have a narrow opening and a wider base.Cut to a depth of 11/2 meters to 21/2 meters with a narrow entrance, some of the deep pits are provided with a landing step. Around the perimeter of these pits are found post-holes which suggest the presence of a thatched roof over the pits.Hearths were encountered near the entrance of circular or oval pits but in rectangular or square pits these were found in the centre. The material culture included coarse grey or black burnished pottery often with mat marked base, a wide range of bone points, awls,needles and harpoons , stone axes-pecked and round, ring stones and distinctive pierced rectangular chopper or knife called harvester a kind hitherto un-known in the sub-continent.Hunting appears to have played an important part in the sustenance of these settlers. On the basis of radio-carbon dating, the culture can be placed to 2375 B.C.
In period II, the people continued the use of stone and bone tools of the type in Period I, but they now lived in mud or mud-brik houses instead of pits and frequently buried their dead. Another characteristic feature of this culture is the purposeful burial of animals such as dogs, wolves and ibex. A very interesting find of the period is a stone slab graphically depicting a hunting scene.
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