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Naksaparvat

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Naksaparvat
Ruins of a stone plith of a house from Naksaparvat
Ruins of a stone plith of a house from Naksaparvat
Map
Interactive map of Naksaparvat
26°57′35″N 93°10′12″E / 26.959776544551957°N 93.17000726047948°E / 26.959776544551957; 93.17000726047948
TypeFoothills settlement
Periodsc. 13th–16th century CE[1][2][3]
Culturesrelated to the Chutia kingdom[4]
LocationDissing Passo, Pakke-Kessang district
RegionArunachal Pradesh, India
Site notes
MaterialBricks, Sandstone, Earthwork

Naksaparvat (also spelled Nakshaparbat) is a medieval archaeological site in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Located on the left bank of the Borgang River in the foothills of the Pakke-Kessang district of East Kameng region, the site consists of a fortified settlement with an upper and lower habitation area, ring wells, a stone well, defensive stone and earthen ramparts, brick and stone plinths, stone posts or pillars associated with stilted house structures, structural remains, stone sculptured pillars, pottery assemblages and evidence of iron-working activity.[5] It is known to be built in the late medieval period between the 13th and 16th century[6][7][8] and is generally assigned to the Chutia kingdom.[9] It was possibly built as a fortified foothills settlement similar to other sites like Ita Fort, Buroi, Gomsi, Rukmininagar, etc. The fortified settlement can be tentatively associated with the line of hill forts attributed to the Chutia king Gauri Narayan. According to the Chutia chronicles, Gauri Narayan, after consolidating his kingdom, “built a line of forts along the foot of the hills”, along with large tanks and temples.[10][11]

Naksaparvat is among the few medieval sites in Arunachal Pradesh that have undergone systematic excavation and is considered important for understanding settlement patterns, fortification systems and material culture in the eastern Himalayan foothill region.[12]

Stone pillars which supported a stilt house found in Nakshaparvat

Description

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Naksaparbat consists of a fortified settlement enclosed by earthen defensive works. Archaeological investigations have revealed habitation remains, structural foundations, ring wells, pottery, stone architectural fragments and decorated pillars, indicating the presence of an organised settlement with developed construction traditions.[13]

The site occupies a strategic foothill location overlooking routes connecting the Brahmaputra Valley with the eastern Himalayan region. Its position suggests that it may have functioned as an administrative, defensive or commercial centre during the medieval period.[14]

Affinities with other Chutia Kingdom sites

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Although no inscription has been discovered at Naksaparvat identifying its builders or political affiliation, several archaeological and historical observations have led scholars and researchers to note similarities between the site and known Chutia-period remains of the Assam–Arunachal foothill zone.

The site is dated to approximately the 13th–16th centuries CE,[15][16] corresponding closely with the period of the Chutia kingdom. Historians have suggested that the Chutia kingdom extended westwards at least as far as Biswanath, immediately south of the Naksaparvat foothill region.[17] Architecturally, Naksaparvat contains several features also found at medieval sites traditionally associated with the Chutia kingdom. Excavated buildings employed substantial brick and dressed-stone plinths, sandstone posts, ring wells, stepped foundations, stone-cum-earthen ramparts and combinations of masonry bases with lighter superstructures.[18] Similar plinth-based brick and stone construction has been reported from Bhismaknagar, Rukmininagar Fort, Gomsi, Buroi (Ramghat-Tarasso), the Tamreswari Temple complex and other archaeological sites of the Sadiya region. Another similar brick plinth has also been discovered a few miles to the east of the Ramghat-Taraso (Buroi) site, at the Upper Balijan area.

Material culture provides a further parallel with Bhismaknagar. The pottery assemblage at Naksaparvat consists predominantly of red ware, with wheel-made pottery more common than handmade pottery; forms include pitchers, basins, dishes, bowls, storage jars and cooking vessels. Tada notes that some of the well-levigated wheel-made pottery is comparable with pottery from the medieval levels of Ambari, and also records a small quantity of kaolin ware at the site.[19] At Bhismaknagar, Tada similarly records predominantly red, wheel-turned pottery, including bowls, dishes, dish-on-stand vessels, spouted vessels and jars, and notes that the finer wares bear close affinity with pottery excavated at Ambari; kaolin pottery has also been recovered from the site.[20]

Brick Plith of a house found in historic Naksaparvat

Almost all the building materials made of stone found at the site (including the stone posts and slabs) bear engraved symbols or masons' marks. More than forty such marks have been recorded at Naksaparvat.[21] Comparable marks have been documented from Malinithan and other medieval sites of the Assam–Arunachal foothills,[22] including Tamreswari Temple (on the encloser wall built in 1442 AD), Buroi ruins and other sites from the Sadiya archaeological landscape like a brick-stone tank and Buraburi than. Historians have argued that architectural continuity (including these marks) between the sites of the Sadiya region and others near Naksaparvat like the Buroi foothill site may indicate the wider extent of the Chutia cultural sphere.[23][24]

Additional parallels include the use of serpent motifs in sculptural art (similar to the snake motiffs found at Tamreswari temple and the Sadiya Serpent Pillar), the presence of terracotta ring wells comparable to those reported from the Sadiya archaeological complex[25], and stone pillars similar to those identified at the Buroi site. These suggest that Naksaparvat formed part of the same broader cultural and architectural tradition that flourished in the eastern Himalayan foothills during the late medieval period.

Photograph of a carved sculptured pillars from Naksaparvat, with serpents similar to the ones found at Tamreswari Temple and Sadiya Serpent Pillar.

Buddhist influence

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Some evidence suggests Buddhist religious influence in and around the Naksaparvat–Borgang foothill region. Tada (2011) noted that Tantric Buddhist influences are visible on some of the sandstone sculptured pillars recovered from Naksaparvat, although other finds indicate a mixed religious landscape including Śaiva and nature-worship elements.[26] A Tibetan-language stone inscription associated with the Borgang–Naksaparvat area is said to record the construction of a religious structure by a woman named Ayungel Humo for the spiritual benefit of her deceased husband Jo-ri or Jo-bi followed by the Tibetan mantra Om mane padme hum.[27] Similar Tibetan Buddhist epigraphic material has been reported from nearby foothill sites. A stone bearing the Tibetan Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum has been reported from the Sadiya–Roing region, while at Dimachang New Betali, a Tibetan rock inscription bearing the mantra Om mane peme hum and another inscribed object bearing Om mane peme hum and Om Bajra Guru peme Chije hum Shri were recorded.[28] Another Vajra bell used as a ritual tool in Tibetan Buddhism was found in the Gohpur region of Lakhimpur district. Such finds point to Tibetan Buddhist religious contact in the northern Brahmaputra–Arunachal foothill zone, but do not by themselves identify the builders or political affiliation of Naksaparvat.

Architecture

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Archaeological excavations recovered decorated stone pillars, pillar bases, stone post supports, brick-and-stone plinths and architectural fragments. These remains suggest the existence of substantial structures within the settlement and indicate the use of both stone and brick in construction.[29] Decorative elements found at the site include carved architectural stones, sculptured sandstone pillars and ornamented structural fragments, pointing to developed artistic and architectural traditions.[30] As per Tada (2011), some of the sculptured pillars were shifted to the Assam State Museum, Guwahati. He also states that the original place of installation of these pillars within the site was also located, and the ruins included a stone plinth and some stone columns. A broken piece of granite found at that place was most probably a Shiva Linga[31] indicating that the structure with the sculptured pillars could have been a temple. According to A. K. Thakur, eight of these sandstone pillars from the site bear engraved naturalistic figures depicting humans, plants and animals, including birds and reptiles. The figures are carved in relief and, although comparatively simple in execution, display indigenous artistic traditions and are considered representative of the socio-cultural and religious life of the people who occupied the site.[32]

Thakur notes that the human figures exhibit tribal facial characteristics and may reflect the influence of Tantric Buddhist traditions. The figures are generally portrayed in active poses and emphasize movement and expression.[33] The dressed stones used in the structures at Naksaparbat also contain numerous engraved symbols and mason's marks. More than forty different symbols have been identified, including geometric, non-geometric and pictographic forms.[34] Thakur further observed that several of these symbols resemble marks recorded at Malinithan, a temple complex dated to the 13th–14th centuries CE, suggesting the persistence of similar stone-working traditions across different sites of Arunachal Pradesh.[35]

Fortifications

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The upper settlement was protected by both earthen and stone ramparts. The earthen rampart, constructed from silty soil and surrounded by a ditch, extends for approximately 620 metres and may have also functioned as an internal road.[36] A separate stone rampart constructed from sandstone blocks extends for roughly 300 metres along the southern side of the settlement. Tada(2011) interpreted the structure as part of the site's defensive system and suggested that it originally linked the upper and lower settlements.[37]

Settlement pattern

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Archaeological investigations revealed that Naksaparvat was divided into an upper and lower settlement. The upper settlement, covering approximately 2.76 hectares, occupied a higher terrace and was enclosed by fortifications. The lower settlement covered about 4 hectares and extended along the left bank of the Borgang River.[38] The upper settlement contained the principal structural remains, stone sculptures and public works, while the lower settlement appears to have been inhabited by common people living in less substantial dwellings.[39]

Water-management system

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Excavations revealed a sophisticated water-management system consisting of a stone well, ring well, a large rectangular basin and a reservoir pond.[40] A terracotta ring well found in the lower settlement was constructed from stacked terracotta rings sunk into the ground. Another large stone well was found within the upper settlement, made of blocks of sandstone. A platform was built around the well, indicating its importance within the settlement's infrastructure. Recently, a protective brick wall has been built on top of the ancient stone well.[41] The site also contains a large rectangular basin measuring approximately 262 metres in length, 38 metres in width and 4.5 metres in depth. The basin was equipped with inlet and outlet channels as well as a sedimentation chamber that functioned as a filtration system. According to Tada (2011), the arrangement demonstrates an advanced understanding of water conservation and management.[42] A smaller reservoir measuring approximately 30 by 31.5 metres was located outside the northern rampart and appears to have served as an additional water-storage facility.[43]

This is a terracotta ring well found in the lower settlement of the Naksaparvat site

Pottery

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Large quantities of pottery have been recovered from Naksaparvat. The assemblage includes a variety of vessel forms, sizes and manufacturing techniques, including both handmade and wheel-made wares. The pottery remains constitute one of the principal categories of archaeological material recovered from the site and provide evidence regarding domestic activities, storage practices and craft production.[44] Pottery recovered from Naksaparvat consists predominantly of red ware, including pitchers, basins, dishes, bowls, storage jars and cooking vessels. Both wheel-made and handmade wares were recovered, although wheel-made pottery predominates.[45] A small quantity of kaolin pottery and glazed ware was also identified. Tada (2011) noted similarities between some of the wheel-made pottery from Naksaparvat and ceramics recovered from medieval levels at Ambari in Assam.[46]

Industry and economy

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Excavations identified an iron-working area covering approximately 576 square metres. The area yielded iron slag, burnt clay and other remains associated with metalworking. Tada(2011) suggested that iron tools and construction hardware used at the site were likely manufactured locally.[47]

The recovery of rice remains, storage facilities and agricultural implements indicates that agriculture formed an important part of the local economy. Tada(2011) proposed that the inhabitants practised dry rice cultivation rather than wet paddy cultivation.[48]

Archaeological significance

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Naksaparvat represents one of the most important medieval archaeological sites in Arunachal Pradesh. Together with sites such as Bhismaknagar, Rukmininagar Fort, Gomsi, Tamreswari Temple, Malinithan and other archaeological remains of the Assam–Arunachal foothill zone, it contributes to the understanding of medieval settlement systems in the eastern Himalayan foothills.[49] The site provides evidence for organised habitation, defensive architecture and developed material culture in a region where comparatively few medieval settlements have been excavated.[50] Its fortified layout, brick-and-stone architectural remains, terracotta ring well, engineered water-management system, sculptured sandstone pillars and mason's marks demonstrate a high degree of planning and craftsmanship.[51][52]

Tada (2011) interpreted Naksaparvat as a tribal settlement dating to the 15th–16th centuries CE. While no inscription identifying a ruling dynasty has been discovered, the site demonstrates cultural interaction with neighbouring regions of the Brahmaputra Valley through its pottery, sculptural traditions and material culture. He further noted that the excavated remains show no similarity to contemporary Ahom material culture.[53] Several features of the site have been compared with archaeological remains traditionally associated with the Chutia kingdom, including the use of brick-and-stone plinths, sandstone pillars bearing mason's marks, terracotta ring wells and fortified foothill settlements. The site's dating, geographical location immediately north of Biswanath, and similarities with sites in the Sadiya region have led some researchers to regard Naksaparvat as part of the broader cultural and architectural tradition that flourished in territories associated with the Chutia kingdom during the late medieval period, although a direct dynastic attribution remains unproven.[54][55][56]

References

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  1. ^ "The medieval life at Naksaparvat, in the district of East Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh is based on material evidences collected from the excavation carried out during 1985-1991. Naksaparvat excavation was the first horizontal excavation covering a wide area anywhere in the North East India. Through this excavation of Naksaparvat, it was possible to give a picture of the life of the people during the 14th-15th centuries in one of the remotest corner of India against a tribal background."(Bora, Ashraf & Dutta 1997)
  2. ^ Nakshaparvat is a residential complex and is dated to 15th-16th century.(Thakur 2004:1191)
  3. ^ "In Kameng valley of West Kameng district, D.K. Bora excavated the site of Naksaparvat (26º 57´N. and 93º 12´E.) during 1988 to 1991. This site brought to light remains of a medieval settlement dated to 13th-16th century A. D."(Sarmah & Ansari 2016:227)
  4. ^ "Aalekh, Volume IV, Issue VII" (PDF). Assam State Museum. 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026. According to Archaeological Research, the remains were constructed by the kings of Chutiya dynasty between 14th- and 15th centuries. The brick wall, which was built by the Chutiya king Mukta dharmanarayana in 1442, contained the stone marks discovered in the Tameswari Temple. This information demonstrates that Chutiya monarchs built all these structures, including the Naksha parvat during the same period.
  5. ^ (Tada 2011:162–163)
  6. ^ "The medieval life at Naksaparvat, in the district of East Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh is based on material evidences collected from the excavation carried out during 1985-1991. Naksaparvat excavation was the first horizontal excavation covering a wide area anywhere in the North East India. Through this excavation of Naksaparvat, it was possible to give a picture of the life of the people during the 14th-15th centuries in one of the remotest corner of India against a tribal background."(Bora, Ashraf & Dutta 1997)
  7. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  8. ^ "In Kameng valley of West Kameng district, D.K. Bora excavated the site of Naksaparvat (26º 57´N. and 93º 12´E.) during 1988 to 1991. This site brought to light remains of a medieval settlement dated to 13th-16th century A. D."(Sarmah & Ansari 2016:227)
  9. ^ "Aalekh, Volume IV, Issue VII" (PDF). Assam State Museum. 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026. According to Archaeological Research, the remains were constructed by the kings of Chutiya dynasty between 14th- and 15th centuries. The brick wall, which was built by the Chutiya king Mukta dharmanarayana in 1442, contained the stone marks discovered in the Tameswari Temple. This information demonstrates that Chutiya monarchs built all these structures, including the Naksha parvat during the same period.
  10. ^ Momin, Mignonette (2004). "Socio-Economic Linkages in the 'Decline' of Pragjyotisa-Kamarupa". In Qadri, F. A. (ed.). Society and Economy in North-East India. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Regency Publications. p. 48. One was by constructing a line of forts backed by roads along the foothills, as seems to be attested by the ruins of fortifications that lie at the foot of the hills of Arunachal Pradesh.
  11. ^ Brown, W.B. (1895). An Outline Grammar Of The Deori Chutiya Language. Shillong: Assam Secretariat Printing Office. pp. 75, 84. Returning with his bride to his chosen seat of government, he (Gaurinarayan) sought no further extension of his dominions, but directed his whole attention to the improvement of what he had acquired and to the consolidation of his power. He built a line of forts along the foot of the hills, probably to restrain the hungry barbarians, his former countrymen; made large tanks and founded temples.
  12. ^ (Tada 2011:162–163)
  13. ^ (Tada 2011:163–170)
  14. ^ (Tada 2011:162–163)
  15. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  16. ^ (Sarmah & Ansari 2016:227)
  17. ^ "Robinson and following him, N.N Acharyya, are of the opinion that the Chutiya kingdom extended up to Viswanath in the present Darrang district of Assam."(Datta 1985:28)
  18. ^ Tada 2011, pp. 164–166.
  19. ^ Tada 2011, pp. 182–183.
  20. ^ Tada 2011, p. 115.
  21. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  22. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  23. ^ "Though the geographical extent of these rulers' power is not yet known in detail, according to Neog, the present-day North Lakhimpur district of Assam, which covers the find sites of most inscriptions, perhaps formed a part of their political dominion. If architectural continuity is admitted between the fortifications in the Sadiya region and the Burai river ruin site, it would be possible to believe that the kingdom of these rulers extended as far as the outer limit of Darrang district, to the westernmost extent of which Ahom conquerors settled the vanquished Chutiyas in the early part of the sixteenth century."(Shin 2020:52–53)
  24. ^ "A large number of these stones were found to contain marks, cut deeply into the sandstone... identical marks were found also in the marked stones found by Hannay in the fort near Sadiya assigned to Bhismak. It is therefore evident that the ruins near Sadiya and those on the banks of the Burai river can be assigned to the same period...The dynasty is evidently the line of Chutia kings who assumed the surname Pala." (Barua 1933:271)
  25. ^ (The Assam Tribune 2026, Sadiya excavation report)
  26. ^ (Tada 2011:173–177, 183)
  27. ^ (Buranjiye Porokha Biswanath Prantar:37)
  28. ^ (Indian Archaeology 1997–98)
  29. ^ (Tada 2011:163–166)
  30. ^ (Tada 2011:163–166)
  31. ^ (Tada 2011:166–173)
  32. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  33. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  34. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  35. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  36. ^ (Tada 2011:167–168)
  37. ^ (Tada 2011:168)
  38. ^ (Tada 2011:163, 169–170)
  39. ^ (Tada 2011:169–170, 180–181)
  40. ^ (Tada 2011:166–170)
  41. ^ (Tada 2011:166)
  42. ^ (Tada 2011:168–169)
  43. ^ (Tada 2011:169)
  44. ^ (Tada 2011:181–183)
  45. ^ (Tada 2011:181–182)
  46. ^ (Tada 2011:182–183)
  47. ^ (Tada 2011:170–171)
  48. ^ (Tada 2011:181–182)
  49. ^ (Tada 2011:183–184)
  50. ^ (Tada 2011:183–184)
  51. ^ (Tada 2011:163–170)
  52. ^ (Thakur 2004:1191)
  53. ^ (Tada 2011:183–184)
  54. ^ (Datta 1985:28)
  55. ^ (Barua 1933:271–272)
  56. ^ (Shin 2020:52–53)

Bibliography

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See also

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