Neolithic Site in Assam Reveals Evidence of Early Metallurgy

📍 Location

Daojali Hading, Dima Hasao district, Assam
Located within the Langting-Mupa Reserve Forest, near National Highway 27

🕰 Historical Context

• Estimated Age: Over 2,700 years old

• Cultural Affiliation: Neolithic; linked to Eastern and Southeastern Asian Neolithic cultures

• First Excavated: Between 1962–1964 by Prof. T.C. Sharma and Prof. M.C. Goswami (Gauhati University)

🧱 Key Artefacts Found

• 🔥 Furnace and Iron Slag – Evidence of early metallurgical activity

• 🪨 Polished double-shouldered celts

• 🍶 Cord-marked pottery

• 🪓 Grinding stones, mortars, pestles

• 💎 Jadeite stone – Signifying possible long-distance cultural or trade links

🚧 Heritage at Risk

• Site was partially damaged in the 1960s during Lumding-Haflong road construction.

• Highlights the need for balancing infrastructure with archaeological preservation.

🧪 Future Directions

• Radiocarbon dating of organic remains recommended

• Comparative studies with other Neolithic sites in Northeast India to enrich understanding of prehistoric culture

📝 Significance for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

Prelims:

• Location-based factual knowledge (Daojali Hading – Assam)

• Artefacts and evidence of early iron use

Mains (GS Paper I – Indian Culture & History):

• Significance of Northeast India's Neolithic heritage

• Evidence of early metallurgy in a traditionally overlooked region

• Importance of cultural preservation amidst modern development