Hastakavapra

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Map of Bhavnagar district

Hastakavapra (हस्तकवप्र) is the ancient name of present village called Hathab located near Bhavnagar in Gujarat, India.

Variants

• Hastakavapra (हस्तकवप्र) (AS, p.1014)
• Hathab हाठव = Hastakavapra हस्तकवप्र (AS, p.1018)
• Hathab (Hindi:हाठब, Gujarati: હાથબ)
• Ashtakapra (अष्टकप्र) (of Ptolemy )
• Hatab

About Hathab

According to Census 2011 information the location code or village code of Hathab village is 516279. Hathab village is located in Bhavnagar Tehsil of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat, India. It is situated 24km away from Bhavnagar. As per 2009 stats, Hathab village is also a gram panchayat.

Excavations at Hatab by ASI

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Vadodara circle, has unearthed 160 ancient seals, with the Brahmi script inscribed on them, from the Hatab excavation site, located some 20 km south of Bhavnagar. The seals are said to be 2000 years old and were probably used to stamp goods that were to be exported.

ASI has worked at the site and have dug up several artefacts. All of them suggest that Hatab might well be the ancient trading centre, referred to as Ashtakapra in the ancient Greek work 'Periplus' and which also finds a mention in historical records of ancient geographer and eminent astronomer Ptolemy.

The city has been recorded in history as a flourishing port in the 2nd, 5th and 6th Century AD. The seals come from a pocket of the mud fortified ancient town, which is surrounded by a moat. The moat has an inlet that leads to the Gulf of Cambay thus suggesting sea trade.

During ancient times, it is said that this part of Gujarat had extensive trade links with Greece and other parts of the world. Proving this fact are finds of the ASI like the Roman amphora (double-handled wine jug peculiar to Rome), copper coins and terracotta artefacts.

Even in Kautilya's Arthashatra, it is mentioned about the practice of collecting taxes from ships sailing in the sea and rivers. The job of the 'Antapala' (officer stationed at the border coast) was to collect taxes and also control the quality of goods that were to be exported.

According to ASI the significant findings at the site include two bronze artefacts, one of a humped bull and another one of a human bust having Greek affinities. There is also a terracotta face of a woman. From the head gear it appears to be the daughter of Celucas and the grandmother of Ashoka. The ruins in Hatab not only reveal Shaivite artefacts of the Maitreka period but also indicate the influence of Buddhism. The site also has grain shells and a step-well, which indicates presence of a shell factory here.

The excavated Roman amphora, copper and silver coins, terracotta items and Indo-Greek artefacts, all seem to support the claim that Hatab might well be 'Ashtakapra', the trade centre in 'Siristhrin' (Saurashtra), located opposite to 'Barigaza' (Bharuch) opposite to the mouth of 'Namades' (Narmada).

हस्तकवप्र

हस्तकवप्र (AS, p.1014): हस्तकवप्र गुजरात के भावनगर के निकट स्थित हाठब। इसका टॉल्मी के अष्टकप्र से अभिज्ञान किया गया है। (दे. बांबे गजेटियर जिल्द 1, पृष्ठ 539)