In Context
- Recently, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways planned to build a National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at the site of the Indus Valley civilization in Lothal, Gujarat.
About National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC)
- It is one of the major projects under Sagarmala scheme of MoPSW which has an edutainment approach.Â
- It is a first of its kind complex in India that will showcase India’s rich and diverse maritime heritage.
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Lothal
- Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, located in the Bh?l region of the modern state of Gujar?t.Â
- Construction of the city is believed to have begun around 2200 BCE.
- Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), discovered Lothal in 1954.Â
- It had the world’s earliest known dock, which connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river on the trade route between Harappan cities in Sindh and the peninsula of Saurashtra.
- It was a vital and thriving trade Centre in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems, and valuable ornaments reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.
- The techniques and tools they pioneered for bead-making and in metallurgy have stood the test of time for over 4000 years.
- The Lothal site has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.
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Source:Mint
