Investigating the Core of the Urban Asset of the Site : Excavation of Trench 9

The new investigation program at Banbhore focused on Trench 9. Two campaigns revealed the presence of three buildings located at the corners of an important street intersection. The excavation of Building 1 unearthed two main occupational phases. The latest, dated to the 12th-early 13th centuries CE, is characterized by the division in three rooms, where mud floors were alternated to anthropic fillings containing a large quantity of artefacts, especially ivory offcuts. The earliest phase, opened only partially, shows the presence of two pavements made of fired tiles. They were replaced after a dramatic event, which also caused the rebuilding of the main perimeter walls. The excavation of the South-North street between buildings 1 and 3 unearthed several street levels, which used a large quantity of ivory wastes in their preparation.