The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is all set to begin excavation at Delhi’s Purana Qila again. The excavation will be led by Vasant Swarnkarand would be the third season of excavation at Purana Qila after 2013-14 and 2017-18.

The objective of the latest excavation is the exposure and preservation of the trenches that were excavated in the previous years (2013-14 & 2017-18), according to an official note on Tuesday. During the closure of the previous season’s excavation, evidence of layers predating the Mauryan period was found. During this season’s excavation, focus would also be to accomplish the traces of Painted GreyWare finding in stratigraphical context. Identified as ancient settlement of Indraprastha, a continuous habitation of 2500 years at Purana Qila was established in earlier excavations.

The findings and artefacts unearthed in earlier excavations comprise painted greyware belonging to 900 BC, an earthen pottery sequence from Maurya to Shunga, Kushana, Gupta, Rajput, Sultanates and Mughal periods. Excavated artefacts such as sickles, parers, terracotta toys, kiln-burnt bricks, beads, terracotta figurines, seal and dealings etc. excavated earlier are now displayed at the Archaeological Museum inside the fort complex.

Purana Qilla, the 16th-century fort, was built by Sher Shah Suri and second Mughal emperor Humayun. The fort is standing on a site with thousands of years of history. Padma Vibhushana Prof. BB Lal also carried out excavation works inside the fort and its premises in 1954 and 1969 -73.