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Archaeology and Astronomy at Burzahom
Burzahom was the first Neolithic site to be discovered in Kashmir.
It is located on a 'karewa' between the banks of the Dal Lake and the Zabarvan hills, about 5 km from the famous Mughal garden of Shalimar. Burzahom translates as 'place [ hom ] of birch [ burza ]' in Kashmiri.
Plentiful food from the forests on the Himalayan foothills, abundant water supply from the lake and a raised location protected from seasonal flooding ensured that the Burzahom plateau remained continuously settled from the Stone Age [2400 B.C] to the Early Historical period. The inhabitants progressed from hunt-and-gathering pit-dwellers to a pottery-making agricultural society over the ages.
A rock carving unearthed at the site shows two hunters hunting a stag while twin suns shine in the sky. The engraving on the slab depicts hunting scenes showing an antlered deer being pierced from behind with a long spear by a hunter and an arrow being discharged by another hunter from the front. The slab seems to reveal that hunting was still a part of the life of the Neolithic people of Burzahom.
The presence of two similar suns in the sky is however a mystery.
Some researchers believe that the twin suns indicate the duration of the hunt, while a far more exotic (and convincing, IMHO) theory has been proposed by a team of astronomers who believe that the scene represents the ancient night sky with the two suns actually representing the moon and a supernova*, while the hunters and the animals represent constellations like Orion and Taurus.
If the latter theory is to be believed, it would represent not only the first record of a supernova, but also the oldest sky-chart ever discovered!
* A supernova is the explosion of a massive star which produces an extremely bright object that gradually fades away over weeks or months.
Burzahom lies just off the Shalimar-Telbal road and is well worth the short trip to experience the history it represents.
Learn more about Burzahom here.
Update (2019):
I feel that in ancient times the Dal lake would have extended to the boundaries of Burzahom which seems to have the perfect attributes for a shore settlement. Unfortunately unplanned construction is taking place in the most likely place where an anchorage would have existed. Indeed the construction monster may soon devour Burzahom. Shame!
Posted In History | Kashmir
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