'The Natho Ram Smadh looks as though someone has pushed it off its platform, but it still stands, though leaning on its side like an old man.’ 6/7

We thank the survey team including Baber Hussein, Ishfaq Ahmed and M. Adil Hashmi for their tireless work in the field and valuable insights. 7/7

'But 'lo and behold', just visible above the spikes of wheat we could see a dome comprised of promisingly slim and weathered red brick common to 'historic' bricks in this region.' 5/7

'What we were following was an icon of a temple/shrine depicted on maps made 100 years earlier, before many of these fields had even been planned. Though we also had rough coordinates from a survey in the 70s (Mughal et al. 1996), there was still no promise that the temple/shrine still existed.' 4/7

'The wheat fields were in full bloom for as far as we could see. It's beautiful but not what we were looking for. 'Is there even anything left here?' said someone from the back of the car while I checked the location for the fifth time.' 3/7

'The whole fun of these surveys is that these sites, even if they are known, are like a surprise waiting around the corner or at the end of the road. The road, in this case, was a kacha dirt road, barely fit for the Toyota Corolla to travel on.' 2/7

Afifa Khan, Mou Sarmah, Vaneshree Vidyarthi, Rebecca Roberts, and Cameron Petrie discuss the complex relationship between cultural heritage and social media in South Asia. They demonstrate the opportunities and challenges that social media presents for heritage preservation.

The map is also decorated with lively imagery of gods, cherubs, and a trade caravel. These engravings might reveal something about Europe’s priorities during the age of sail and global trade. The cherubs rifling through jewels, precious metals and ivory are telling. (4/4)

For instance, Lake Chiamay in the northeast appears on maps from the 16th to 18th century, but never actually existed. (3/4)

It features the land, settlements, rivers, and trade routes of the subcontinent and parts of Central Asia. But I wouldn’t rely on it to get you to your destination. Cartographic errors have rendered India rather skinny, and you might find some locations tricky to find. (2/4)

Research resulting from the collaborative TwoRains project demonstrated that most animals remained local, but there are some examples of cattle and pigs being moved very long distances. The nature of the exchange system that was in operation is still debated. (5/5)

Known across the Islamic world and Silk Road, the caravanserai model could help us understand the archaeology and mechanisms of ancient mobility and exchange. Rural pit stops in the Harappan world would indicate a level of economic administration and management, but this is one hypothesis. (4/5)

Geographically, the site is found at a river confluence, providing a reliable source of water and natural junction in the landscape. Its location between coastal Gujarat and the Indus heartland would make Kotada Bhadli an ideal rural stopover. (3/5)

The site of Kotada Bhadli (~2000 BCE) is small, fortified, and at a peripheral location. The excavators have argued that the presence of imported trade goods but absence of on-site production indicates the consumption and transit you’d expect to find at a place for rest and resupply. (2/5)

The village is known for its temples within the walls, which are counted among the Abhimana Kshethram, which hold particular significance for the Vaishnavite tradition – centred around the god Vishnu. You can also find one of Hinduism’s sacred lakes, collectively known as the Panch Sarovar.

Now these lamps are certainly not telling us that the Bronze Age Harappans were celebrating any festival we recognise today. But they reveal the long history of clay lamps which have often been used for ritualistic purposes, seen today in the diyas of Diwali. (5/5)

This example features cups on either side of the headdress where soot or black pigment was found – so it may have been used as a special sort of lamp. (4/5)