Piql Book of References

Preserving Dholavira – A Harrapan City Case Study

Preserving Dholavira – A Harrapan City The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI.

They have over 3693 monuments under their supervision and have been actively looking for solutions to digitize and archive these historical monuments One of the sites chosen for the initial Pilot was Dholavira a 5000 year Harrapan City. The archaeological site, one of the best-preserved urban settlements from the period in Southeast Asia, comprises a fortified city and a cemetery. Two seasonal streams provided water, a scarce resource in the region, to the walled city which comprises a heavily fortified castle and ceremonial ground as well as streets and houses of different proportion quality which testify to a stratified social order. A sophisticated water management system demonstrates the ingenuity of the Dholavira people in their struggle to survive and thrive in a harsh environment.

CHALLENGE Being Over 5000 years the site is deteriorating over time due to weather conditions and human intervention. ASI is doing its best to preserve the site but they were also looking for a solution to digitize and archive the site and ensure it is available to future generations. Introduced to ASI by The Indian Ambassador to Norway Dr.B.Bala Bhasker, Piql along with their plugin digitization partners from Slovakia Studio 727 presented a solution to scan, digitize and archive the site.

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