Floods in Haryana state (North India) may have consumed a piece of ancient Indian history. The archaeological site of Jognakhera, from where copper smelting furnaces along with copper slag dating back nearly 5,000 years to the Indus Valley Civilization were unearthed, was ravaged and submerged under nearly 10 feet of water from Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal breach.
     Residents of the area were oblivious of the historical significance of their neighbourhood until some months ago when a team from the state department of archaeology landed up and started digging. But it was not declared a protected site by the government. The excavated site has been badly mauled by the floods and the ancient furnaces have also been damaged severely. However, the antiquities unearthed from the excavation have been recovered by excavators.
     Archeologist and curator of Shri Krishna Museum, Rajesh Purohit said copper was the primary metal used during this period. It was the first metal to be extracted from ores through smelting and brought huge changes in the economy of the time.

Source: The Times of India (11 July 2010)