Kosambi
| Kosambi | |
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Kosambi cast copper coin. 1st century BCE. Inscribed "Kosabi". British Museum.
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| Coordinates: 25°20′20″N 81°23′34″E / 25.338984°N 81.392899°ECoordinates: 25°20′20″N 81°23′34″E / 25.338984°N 81.392899°E | |
| Country | India |
Kosambi (Pali) was an important city in ancient India. It was located on the Yamuna about 56 kilometres (35 mi) southwest of Prayaga, renamed Ilahabad, now Allahabad., in the year 1575 by the Mughal ruler Akbar.
Kosambi was one of the greatest cities in India from the late Vedic period until the end of Maurya Empire with occupation continuing until the Gupta Empire. As a small town, it was established in the late Vedic period.
During the Shunga Empire, Kosambi was the capital of Vatsa, a vassal state of the Shungas. After their decline, Vatsa became an independent kingdom,) one of the Mahajanapadas. Kosambi was a very prosperous city by the time of Gautama Buddha, where a large number of wealthy merchants resided. It was an important entrepôt of goods and passengers from north-west and south. It figures very prominently in the accounts of the life of Buddha.
The excavations of the archaeological site of Kosambi was done by G. R. Sharma of Allahabad University in 1949 and again in 1951–1956 after it was authorized by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in March 1948.Carbon dating of charcoal and Northern Black Polished Ware have historically dated its continued occupation from 390 BC to 600 A.D.
Kosambi was a fortified town with an irregular oblong plan. Excavations of the ruins revealed the existence of gates on three sides-east, west and north. The location of the southern gate can not be precisely determined due to water erosion. Besides the bastions, gates and sub-gates, the city was encircled on three sides by a moat, which, though filled up at places, it still discernible on the northern side. At some points, however, there is evidence of more than one moat. The city extended to an area of approximately 6.5 km. The city shows a large extent of brickworks indicating the density of structures in the city.
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