Aftab Alam
1
, Shubham Rajak
2
, Dhananjay Kumar
1
&
Ravindra Nath Singh
1
1
Centre for Advanced Study, Department of Ancient Indian History Culture &
Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Utar Pradesh-221005, India.
E-mail: afatabalambhu@gmail.com; drravindransingh@gmail.com
2
Department of Ancient Indian History Culture & Archaeology, Deccan College
Postgraduate & Research Insttute, Pune-411 006, India.
E-mail:archaeology.shubham@gmail.com
Abstract: Varanasi is known as one of the oldest cities by literary evidences
(Atharva Veda 5.22.14). Hence, the present exploration has tried to trace the
archaeological evidences and aceient settlement system around the Rajght (Singh,
1977). The excavations of Rajght has proved that during the early historical
period, it was a major urban settlement or coresite, which should have some
small satellite sites around it. Therefore, the present paper has tried to trace the
satellite settlements of Rajghatby using village-to-village survey and remote
sensing techniques in Varuna basin to reconstruct the archaeological landscape
of Varanasi, Utter Pradesh. Present archaeological exploration has provided the
evidence of various cultural phases on the basis of ceramic studies.
Recent Explorations in Varanasi District to Study
Site Catchment Analysis of Rajghat
Journal of Archaeological
Studies in India
Vol. 1, No. 2, 2021, pp. 185-197
© ARF India. All Right Reserved
URL: http://arfournals.com/jasi
Received : 23 September 2021
Revised : 6 October 2021
Accepted : 11 October 2021
Published : 30 December 2021
TO CITE THIS ARTICLE:
Alam, A., Rajak, S., Dhananjay,
K., & Singh, R.N. 2021. Recent
Explorations in Varanasi District to
Study Site Catchment Analysis of
Rajghat. Journal of Archaeological
Studies in India, 1: 2, pp. 185-197
Introduction
The Varanasi (Lat 25.3176; Long 82.9739), is located on the confuence of river Varuna and Assi to
holy river Ganga, in the Uttar Pradesh state. In India traditions, the city of Varanasi is considered as
one of the oldest, continually inhabited cities in the world (Jayaswal, 2011). According to the Epic and
Puranic tradition, Varanasi the capital city of Kashi was founded by Divodasa, one of the celebrated
kings of Kashi. The city is described in several Puranas (Bhagvat Purana, X, 66, 41;Padma Purana,
35, 87). The township actually grew in Buddha’s time. Varanasi continued to be the capital of the
kingdom of Kashi during the days of the Buddha. From Buddhist literature, both Pali and Sanskrit