Atranjikhera and the emergence of iron in the Ganges plain

Record summary

Excavations at Atranjikhera, associated with the University of California and Indian archaeologists, produced sequences including Painted Grey Ware, Northern Black Polished Ware and early iron-related evidence. The site is valuable for investigating agricultural intensification, craft production, urbanization and the chronology of iron technology in the Ganges-Yamuna region. It also offers a counterpoint to narratives that attribute social change to a single migration or technological arrival. Important uncertainties concern the dating of early iron, the scale of production, and whether material changes reflect population movement, local development or interaction among communities.