Shortugai

37.32569.525Koordinaten: 37 ° 19 '30 " N, 69 ° 31' 30" E

Shortugai is an archaeological site in northern Afghanistan on the Amu Darya in the province of Takhar. The name Shortugai comes from a close village. The excavated site dates back to 2000 BC and is divided into two hills, each of which is a little over 2 acres. The whole area corresponds to the typical pattern of the Indus Valley Civilization, whose settlements usually consist of an actual settlement and a citadel. Culturally Shortugai accordingly belongs to the Indus Valley Civilization, whose actual core area was about 1000 kilometers south.

The hills were identified by the excavators as A and B. In hill A six occupation levels could be distinguished in a hillside B, however, four. Since only a portion of the hills have been excavated, it is not possible even a house floor plan to completely reconstruct. On Hill A few monumental building remains came to light, whose exact nature remains unclear. Among the finds belongs painted pottery, as is typical of the Indus culture, including black -painted ceramics on a red background .. There were clay models of cars and cattle, which are also typical of find spots of the Indus Valley Civilization .. At further finds there were numerous beads, bangles, stone tools, as well as numerous metal objects, including three levels.

In several layers there were mud huts with standardized bricks, typical pottery of this culture and a seal. The seal shows a beef with characters about it .. It is believed that it was a trading post of the Indus culture. Nearby deposits are found of tin and lapis lazuli, has been a popular commodity in the ancient world, but only a few Lapis Lazuli objects found on site. It is solely to pearls. More recent layers that the residents living here assimilated over time with the surrounding population and culture.

Shortugai was discovered in 1975. 1976 two soundings were carried out. Parts of the village have been dug up in three Campaigning 1977-1979 by a French expedition.