LAHORE, March 23: Recent excavations at Taxila have pushed back the history of the ancient settlement by another six centuries to the neolithic age.

Earlier, artifacts collected by Sir John Marshall had dated Taxila back to 518 BC. The new study also indicates the existence of cities in the valley between 1200 BC and 1100 BC.

Potshreds and other terracotta, found at the lowest occupational level, 15 feet in depth, is the main evidence of the latest discovery which establishes that Taxila and the Indus Valley Civilzation settlements of Moenjodaro and Harappa existed almost simultaneously.

Sir John, who excavated several Taxila sites between 1913 and 1934, had found four occupational levels. The latest study has unearthed six occupational levels which have been listed afresh as pre-Achaemenian, Achaemenian, Macedonian, Mauriyan, Bactarian Greek and Scythian.

Archaeology Department and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, have also found for the first time an integrated drainage system comprising open as well as covered drains.

The discovery of several wells also establishes that fresh water was used for cooking and bathing.

Yet another discovery is that of a hall and adjacent chambers which archaeologists understand were part of a palace of the then ruler, King Ambhi, who received Alexander the Great at this palace in 326 BC. The evidence of the hall is based on pillars and walls which have been found at the Bhir Mound’s fourth occupational level.

The excavation started in September 1998 and is still going on. The preliminary report repudiates some of the theories propounded in 1934 by Sir John Marshall regarding the age of the three cities of Taxila — the Bhir Mound, Srikap and Sirsukh — and the Buddhist monasteries around.

One such theory proposed by Sir John, who became the first chief of the Archaeology Department in 1913 and immediately started excavating Taxila, was that the Bhir Mound city was abandoned between the first century BC and the first century AD by Bactarian Greeks who were the last inhabitants of the city. The latest excavations have established that the city was not completely abandoned and that it was later occupied by Scythians.

It has been found that the Taxila people used to pull fresh water from community wells, of which have three been discovered so far. Raised walls protected the wells from refuse.

A Mauriyan era drainage network has also been found. It comprises a number of small drains which are connected with the main drains which are also covered. This is the second ancient site (Moenjodaro being the first) where such drains have been found.

Metal and terracotta utensils have been found in the rooms, bathrooms and kitchens.

The palace where King Ambhi is believed to have received Alexander the Great in 326 BC, has abundant evidence of royal living. A kitchen and a bar have been unearthed on the palace site.

More than 600 ancient objects have also been found from the site. They include terracotta pottery and clay figurines. Objects made from shells, iron and copper have also been discovered along with terracotta and semi-precious stone beads.