Burzahom archaeological site

Burzahom is an excavation site in the Kashmir Valley of India that preserves remains of settlements from several millennia. The grounds display dwelling pits, stone tools, pottery fragments, and hearth remains spread across an open field.

People settled here around 3000 BCE and dug dwelling pits into the ground to shelter from the cold climate. The settlement grew over centuries and changed from a stone age community into a society that worked metal.

The people who lived here buried their dogs alongside human remains in carefully arranged graves, showing a close bond between humans and animals. Visitors can see the outlines of these burial chambers and understand how the community organized its daily life thousands of years ago.

The site sits in a rural area about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Srinagar and is reached via a paved road. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes because the excavations spread across uneven ground.

Archaeologists found bone needles here with engraved patterns that rank among the oldest evidence of textile production in South Asia. The needles show that the inhabitants stitched clothing and possibly wove simple fabrics.