In 1921, who started the excavation of the Harappan mound ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:
The foundation of the Indus Valley Civilization's discovery rests on the systematic work begun at Harappa, and this monumental task was officially started by the Indian archaeologist **Dayaram Sahani** in 1921. Sahni, working under the supervision of Sir John Marshall, led the initial, crucial excavations at the Harappan mound in the Punjab region (now in Pakistan). His pioneering effort was the first organized dig to reveal the distinctive seals, pottery, and structural remains that proved a highly developed, pre-historic urban culture existed on the subcontinent. The official opening of the site under his direction marks the definitive chronological beginning of the Indus Valley Civilization's rediscovery.

The incorrect option is 1:
**Rakhaldas Banerjee** is a key figure in the Indus Valley Civilization, but his primary contribution was the discovery and initial excavation of the *other* major city, Mohenjo-Daro, a year later in 1922. Although his work at Mohenjo-Daro was equally significant in revealing the extent of the civilization, he is historically associated with the Mohenjo-Daro site, not the 1921 start at Harappa.

The incorrect option is 3:
**Sir John Marshall** was the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1902 to 1928, the administrative head of all archaeological work in India at the time. He was the senior supervisor who authorized and generally directed the initial excavations at both Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Furthermore, it was Marshall who made the landmark public announcement in 1924 that a new, ancient civilization had been discovered, bringing the IVC to global attention, but he did not personally start the Harappa excavation in 1921.

The incorrect option is 4:
**Amlanand Ghosh** was a highly respected Indian archaeologist, but his major contributions to the Indus Valley Civilization came much later in the mid-20th century. He is primarily credited with leading extensive explorations along the dry bed of the ancient Saraswati (Ghaggar-Hakra) river in the 1950s. His work helped to trace the vast geographical spread of the civilization by identifying dozens of new early Harappan and pre-Harappan settlements, but he was not involved in the original 1921 excavation.