Kotul excavations in Maharashtra show site was a large trade hub during Satavahana period

2 min readPuneUpdated: Jul 15, 2026 09:47 PM IST

The Kotul excavation site is approximately one km in length and half km in width. (Photo: Deccan College Post Graduate Research Institute)

Preliminary archaeological excavations at flood-prone Kotul site in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, carried out by Pune’s Deccan College Post Graduate Research Institute, has uncovered antiquities ranging from early historic to late medieval cultural period. The findings show Kotul was an important settlement in the Mula Basin during the Satavahana period, throwing light on the region’s trade networks and cultural history.

Located on a stable foothill plain of Kalsubai—the highest peak of the Sahyadri mountain range—and on the right bank of upper Mula River, Kotul is at the junction of Ahmednagar-Nasik-Thane and Pune district boundary. The site is approximately one km in length and half km in width. The present village occupies 60 percent of the site while 40 percent of the area is used for agricultural activities.

“The site is of importance as it is located on the trade route of Satavahana period connecting the two major trade centres of Junnar and Nashik,” Dr P D Sabale, Professor in Geoarchaeology and Controller of Examination at Deccan College, said.

As part of doctoral study, Abhilasha Mishra under the guidance of Dr Sabale carried out a village to village geoarchaeological exploration for the whole Mula River. “The main aim of the excavation was to understand the cultural development of the site, study its role in ancient trade and reconstruct the history of the region,” Dr Sabale added.

Areca nut shape beads, terracotta ball and bangle unearthed in trenches

The excavation uncovered remains of residential structures mostly belonging to the medieval times. Pottery like red ware and drab black ware were also found. Besides, areca nut shape beads, broken fingers of human figurines, well-finished terracotta beads, terracotta ball and bangles were found. A metal coin too was found. The excavation also yielded skeletal elements of animals.

Ancient settlers ate green/yellow millets, protein-rich pulses

The excavation also threw light on the agricultural economy of the ancient settlers. For instance, the ancient settlers at Kotul subsisted on starch-rich cereal like rice; green / yellow/ foxtail millet, sawa millet and protein-rich pulses such as black gram, green gram, field pea and horse-gram. Besides, seeds of Indian jujube were also recovered from the site.

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues .

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Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature.

Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO.

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Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.”

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Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions.

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