Mahasthangarh

Mahasthangarh
মহাস্থানগড়
Ramparts of the Mahasthangarh citadel
Mahasthangarh is located in Bangladesh Rajshahi division
Mahasthangarh
Shown within Bangladesh Rajshahi division
Mahasthangarh is located in Bangladesh
Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh (Bangladesh)
Mahasthangarh is located in South Asia
Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh (South Asia)
LocationMahasthan, Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh
Coordinates24°57′40″N 89°20′34″E / 24.96111°N 89.34278°E / 24.96111; 89.34278
TypeSettlement
History
FoundedNot later than 3rd century BC
Abandoned8th century AD
Mahasthangarh is the oldest archaeological site in Bangladesh. It dates back to 300 BCE and was the ancient capital of the Pundra Kingdom.

Mahasthangarh is the earliest urban archaeological sites discovered thus far in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj upazila of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana.[1][2][3] A limestone slab bearing six lines in Prakrit in Brahmi script recording a land grant, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century BCE.[4][5] It was an important city under the Maurya Empire. The fortified area was in use until the 8th century CE.[2]

  1. ^ Hossain, Md. Mosharraf (2006). "Preface". Mahasthan: Anecdote to History. Dhaka: Dibyaprakash. ISBN 978-984-483-245-9. Mahasthan is the earliest urban archaeological site so far discovered in the present territory of ... Bangladesh
  2. ^ a b Brochure: Mahasthan – the earliest city-site of Bangladesh, published by the Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, 2003
  3. ^ Majumdar, R. C. (1971). History of Ancient Bengal. Calcutta: G. Bhardwaj & Co. pp. 5, 13. OCLC 961157849.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference SH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Hossain, Md. Mosharraf, pp. 56–60.