Shillong, Aug. 20 (PTI): Ancient artefacts that could help identify the spatial distribution of Garo people and their culture were unearthed recently in Meghalaya.

Labourers engaged in a road project at Rongkhon Songgital village in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district stumbled upon the pre-historic artefacts, which included earthenware, materials made of iron and smoking pipes. The findings were reported to the archaeology department of North Eastern Hill University (Nehu) and a team led by Prof. Tilok Thakuria examined the artefacts.

"The discovery is significant for the study of ancestral sites in the region. Preliminary observation suggests that the indigenous Songsarek Garo people used earthenware," Thakuria said.

"Iron artefacts like dao and other blades indicates that they had knowledge about metallurgy. We even recovered a metal bangle from the site," he added.

Smoking pipes made of clay, a century-old glass bottle and articles made of iron have also been found. "Unearthing such ancestral sites will help us get information on the spatial distribution of the Garos within and outside of Garo hills," Thakuria said.

The Nehu team is now preparing to carry out further excavation.

"It is exciting as these discoveries will help us link our history and culture and the evolution especially when there is a lack of written history among the Garos," Serimchi, a team member and a student, said.

Like the Khasis, the Jaintias or other communities of the state, the Garos did not have a written history until the British set foot here in the early 18th century.#