Lothal is situated approximately 30 km inland from the Gulf of Khambhat on the western coast of India in Gujarat. It served as a bustling port during the Bronze Age Harappan period (2600 BCE to 1900 BCE) and was connected to a series of Harappan production and distribution centres dotted along the Gulf of Kachchh and the Rann of Kachchh. Artefacts of foreign nature found in Lothal attest to its intercultural trade relation. Further, Lothal is renowned for its well-preserved brick-walled dockyard and warehouse. However, different views for and against the dockyard are available in archaeological literature. This study revisits the dockyard theory from the landscape perspective and integrates information extracted from early maps, multi-spectral and multi-temporal satellite data of different spatial resolutions, and Digital Elevation Models to understand the larger context of the palaeolandscape around Lothal, including both fluvial and coastal areas. The findings offer fresh perspectives on the hydrographic dynamics of the region, highlighting an evident direct connection between Lothal and the former course of River Sabarmati, one of the major rivers in Gujarat that currently flows 20 km east of Lothal. The reconstruction of the palaeolandscape, both fluvial and coastal, complements and verifies certain interpretations related to the dockyard theory, partially bridging the ‘credibility gap’ in the broader discussion and strengthening the arguments in favour of the dockyard theory. Additionally, the study underscores the significance of integrating various types of geospatial data to understand past landscapes. Further investigation of the reconstructed palaeolandscape, particularly the complex hydrographic network including rivers and creeks, of this historically important region has the potential to contribute to new insights into existing archaeological and geomorphological interpretations and may guide us about the past human adaptation to the natural dynamics.

中文翻译：

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萨巴尔马蒂及其与哈拉帕港洛塔尔和纳尔走廊的联系：一项使用多传感器数据、云计算和多平台的研究


Lothal 位于印度古吉拉特邦西海岸的 Khambhat 湾内陆约 30 公里处。它在青铜时代的哈拉帕时期（公元前 2600 年至公元前 1900 年）是一个繁华的港口，并与分布在 Kachchh 湾和 Kachchh 兰恩沿岸的一系列哈拉帕生产和分销中心相连。在 Lothal 发现的外国文物证明了其跨文化贸易关系。此外，Lothal 以其保存完好的砖墙造船厂和仓库而闻名。然而，考古文献中支持和反对造船厂的观点不同。本研究从景观角度重新审视了造船厂理论，并整合了从早期地图、不同空间分辨率的多光谱和多时间卫星数据以及数字高程模型中提取的信息，以了解 Lothal 周围古景观的更大背景，包括河流和沿海地区。这些发现为该地区的水文动态提供了新的视角，突出了洛塔尔与萨巴尔马蒂河前河道之间的明显直接联系，萨巴尔马蒂河是古吉拉特邦的主要河流之一，目前流经洛塔尔以东 20 公里。河流和沿海古景观的重建补充和验证了与船坞理论相关的某些解释，部分弥合了更广泛讨论中的“可信度差距”，并加强了支持船坞理论的论点。此外，该研究强调了整合各种类型的地理空间数据以了解过去景观的重要性。 对这个具有重要历史意义的地区重建的古景观，特别是包括河流和小溪在内的复杂水文网络的进一步调查，有可能为现有的考古学和地貌学解释提供新的见解，并可能指导我们了解过去人类对自然动态的适应。