Ancient site · Tomb
Sinauli
Also known as Sanauli
A Bronze Age cemetery in western Uttar Pradesh, excavated in 2005–06 and 2018. It held many burials, some in wooden coffins decorated with copper, with copper swords, shields, a helmet and pottery.
In 2018 three carts with solid wooden wheels covered in copper sheet were found in graves. The excavators called them chariots and linked them to warriors of the Vedic or Harappan world; other archaeologists say solid wheels suit ox-carts and place the site in the Ochre Coloured Pottery culture.
- Dates
- c. 2000–1500 BCE
- Still standing
- No, or only traces
- Location
- 29.25° N, 77.35° E
How we know
The burials and carts are real and dated to around 2000–1500 BCE, but whether the carts were horse-drawn war chariots, and who the people were, is argued over.
Nearby sites
- Hastinapur Painted Grey Ware town c. 1100–800 BCE (Lal; 2021–22 dig: from c. 1500 BCE); occupied into medieval times
- Iron pillar of Delhi c. 400 CE (reign of Chandragupta II, c. 375–415 CE)
- Rakhigarhi village from c. 4600 BCE; city c. 2600–1900 BCE
- Bhirrana claimed c. 7500 BCE; most scholars: 4th millennium BCE to c. 1900 BCE
- Kalibangan c. 3500–1750 BCE
- Harappa c. 3300–1300 BCE; city at its height c. 2600–1900 BCE
Related
- Ochre Coloured Pottery culture (with the Copper Hoards) archaeological culture
- The world in 2000 BCE: Cities of Bronze chapter