Indian seabed hides ancient remains

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1345000/13451

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Indian seabed hides

ancient remains

 

By Rajyasri Rao in Delhi

 

Marine experts have discovered a clump of

archaeological structures deep beneath the

sea off India's western coast.

 

Although the discovery has not yet been

accurately dated, the structures are said to

resemble archeological sites belonging to the

Harappan civilisation, dating back more than

4,000 years.

 

This is the first time man-made structures

have been found in this part of the Arabian

Sea which is known as the Gulf of Cambay.

 

The team leader, M Ravindran, told the BBC

that they first noticed the huge structures

while examining acoustic images collected from

under the sea bed.

 

Ancient settlement?

 

The group was routinely investigating the Gulf

of Cambay to monitor pollution levels, using

devices able to penetrate at least 10 metres

deep beneath the sea bed.

 

The images gathered

over the past six

months led to a

surprising discovery - a

series of well-defined

geometric formations

were clearly seen,

spread irregularly

across a nine-kilometre

(five-mile) stretch, a

little beneath the sea

bed.

 

Some of them closely

resemble an acropolis -

or great bath - known to be characteristic of

the Harappan civilisation.

 

The Gulf of Cambay is one of the largest tidal

areas in the world - with a current of very high

velocity - and so it is conceivable that the

area may well have submerged an entire

ancient settlement, Mr Ravindran said.

 

But archaeologists are far more sceptical.

 

Closer study

 

A leading marine archaologist says that far

more detailed investigations need to be done

to confirm the exact date of the structures.

 

S R Rao, who has

spent years

researching the nearby

Gulf of Kutch, said the

only conclusive way of

establishing the

antiquity of the site

was by studying pieces

of submerged pottery

from the same area.

 

Mr Rao's own research

led to the discovery of

the first tidal dock in

the world - built at around 2300 BC in the port

town of Lothal - at the head of the Gulf of

Cambay.

 

But he says much more research and evidence

is required to categorise the latest discovery in

the same manner.

 

Numerous Harappan archeological sites have

been found in northern and western India, as

well as neighbouring Pakistan.