Maner

The site of Maner is located at a distance of 32 km west of Patna district headquarter on the Patna-Arrah road in the Danapur sub-division of District Patna. The site is marked by a high mound overlooking the dry bed of river Son.

The Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, Patna University, carried out excavation at Maner for nine seasons from 1986-87 – 1996-97. Previously, the habitation deposits revealed during the excavations were divided into six cultural periods from the Neolithic to the Pala period.

The Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, Patna University, carried out excavation at Maner for nine seasons from 1986-87 – 1996-97. Previously, the habitation deposits revealed during the excavations were divided into six cultural periods from the Neolithic to the Pala period.

Excavation Branch III, Patna carried out excavation at the site in 2012-13. On the basis of the ceramic industries, antiquities and material culture recovered from the excavation, the habitational deposits were divided into three periods from Chalcolithic to Sunga-Kushana periods. The Gupta and post-Gupta levels were also found in the adjacent agricultural land.

The structural activities of the Chalcolithic period are represented by a circular soakage pit made of potsherds and a 73cm long drain. The ceramic industry of this period is represented by Red Ware, BRW, Black Ware and Black Slipped Ware. The representative shapes in potteries are storage jars, vases, bowls, basins, dishes-on-stands, legged and perforated basins, dishes, lids respectively.

Of the different genres of antiquities recovered during the course of the excavation were terracotta objects followed items fashioned out of bone, iron, ivory and stone. Other important antiquities includes terracotta stamp, human figurines, gamesman, bun/cake-shaped objects made of lead and copper alloy, crucible, bone points, spearhead, comb and an iron spearhead.