Dr. L. P. Tessitory: The First Discoverer of Kalibanga
Summary
Kalibanga, a site in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, has gained renown for revealing layers of pre‑Harappan and Harappan cultures, but its significance was first recognised by Italian scholar Luigi Pio Tessitori. In April 1917, while surveying the Bikaner district, Tessitori visited the mounds of Kalibanga and discovered prehistoric stone tools, clay discs, balls and three inscribed sealings. His itinerary and diary show that he surveyed the site on 5 and 10 April 1917 and documented the variety of antiquities. In a letter to linguist F.W. Thomas and philologist George Grierson, he described the bone objects and stone blades found on the mound and speculated that they were prehistoric. Tessitori intended to publish his discovery in the *Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society* but was unable to do so. Nonetheless, he realised the site’s importance years before the Archaeological Survey of India excavated it and before R.D. Banerjee’s famous discovery of Mohenjo‑daro. He correctly recognised that the sealings and inscriptions at Kalibanga bore similarities to those from Harappa and Mohenjo‑daro. The note highlights Tessitori’s foresight in identifying the prehistoric character of the artifacts and credits him as the first discoverer of Kalibanga.
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Conclusion
Luigi Pio Tessitori’s 1917 survey of Kalibanga predates official excavations by decades and underscores his keen archaeological insight. His unpublished observations and correspondences reveal that he recognised the site’s prehistoric significance and drew connections with the Indus civilisation. Acknowledging Tessitori’s role not only honours his contribution but also reminds us of the importance of early fieldwork in shaping archaeological discoveries.