| Jognakhera | |
| Settlement Type: | Archeological site |
| Pushpin Map: | India Haryana#India |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name: | India |
| Subdivision Name1: | Haryana |
| Timezone: | Indian Standard Time |
| Utc Offset: | +5.30 |
| Coordinates: | 29.9714°N 76.8872°W |
Jognakhera is an archaeological site belonging to late Harappan phase of Indus Valley civilisation. Jogankhera is located in Kurukshetra District, Haryana, India.[1]
The find from this site belong to the mature Harappan phase as well as later-era PGW phase (Vedic period). The Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) probably corresponds to the middle and late Vedic period, i.e., the Kuru-Panchala kingdom, the first large state in South Asia after the decline of the Indus Valley civilization (IVC).[2] [3] Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) chiefdoms in the region were succeeded by Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) from c. 700-500 BCE, associated with the rise of the great mahajanapada states (mahajanapada states Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena and Vatsa) and later of the Magadha Empire.[2] [3] Towards the end of the late Vedic period, many of the PGW settlements grew into the large towns and cities of the Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) period.[4] B. B. Lal confirms that Mahabharata is associated with PGW sites and gives a date to c. 900 BCE for the War recounted in the Mahabharata.[5]
Saraswati valley has the earlier phase of the PGW culture, such as excavation at Hat (Hathira) in Kurukshetra. Hathira was protected by a V-shaped moat. Similar moats were found Jognakhera and Kunal on the Saraswati river. The presence of moat shows these were chiefdom-based cultures. These cultures reach a peak in Ganga-Yamuna Doab before the rise of Mahajanapadas in the Northern Black Polished Ware period.[6]
Jognakhera was excavated during 2009, although local people are not aware of the importance of this ancient site.[7] Pot shreds were also recovered from this site.[7]
Jognakhera was a copper smelting site where copper smelting furnaces with copper slag were recovered.[7] The furnaces excavated from this site looked like huge saucers.[7]
Floods created out of breach to Sutlej Yamuna link canal during July 2010 caused damage to this archeological site.[7]