Banawali Mound previously called Vanawali, lies 14 km, north-west of Fatehbad on the right bank of the Rangoi Nala, 29° 37" 5' north latitude and 75° 23",6' cast longitude. This ancient mound spread over an area of one sq. km., rose to a height of about 10 meters due to successive settlements on the earlier rubble.

The archaeological excavations done here by the Department of Archaeology, Haryana have revealed a well constructed fort town of the Harappan period overlying an extensive proto-urban settlement of the pre-Harappan culture. If the discovered ancient relics are pieced together, a fairly coherent picture emerges and it can be conjured up that if Kalibangan was a metropolitan town over the lower middle valley of the Saraswati, Banawali was possibly one over the upper middle course of that river.

The pre-Harappan age (2800 BC - 2300 BC) and Harappan era (2300 BC - 1800 BC) combined are called the Indus valley civilization, while the preceding Vedic age (4000 BC - 2800 BC) can be called the Saraswati valley civilization.

The era of pre-Harappan period (2703 BC - 2300 BC) is characterized by the typical pottery, settlement pattern and architecture. A wide range of to those found at Kalibangan in Rajasthan, illustrates the developed ceramic art of the settlers here. Banawali seems to have been abandoned by 1900 BC with the drying up of Saraswati.

A rich variety of shapes and designs speaks highly of the level of their socioeconomic existenc6 and their aesthetic taste. The houses were built roughly along cardinal directions and points to definite town planning. Constructed usually of mould-made bricks, we find, occasionally, structures made of kiln-baked bricks. The civilization seems to have been conversant with the technology of copper smelting. Among personal ornaments, beads of gold, semi-precious stones, terracotta and steatite and bangles of clay, shell, faience and copper have been. recovered during the course of excavation. The overall picture presents a fair degree of advancement - achieved by the pre-Harappans by the middle of the - 3rd millennia B.C.

While the pre-Harappan culture was still young, a new set of people occupied Banawali. They soon built a well planned and fortified township in the classical chessboard pattern. The broad arterial streets, running from north to south, have been found straight and uninterrupted, whereas those, running from east to west, were usually narrow and staggered. This planning, perhaps protected the, town from the blistering winds of the west and. severe monsoon, rains of the south-west. The town seems to be divided in two sub-joined fortified areas, one separated from the other by a 6-7 meter thick wall running centrally across the mound from north to south. A narrow opening, provided through the defense wall in the center of the mound, was, perhaps meant for communication between the two parts of the city blocks, of which the better fortified western side was dominated by the elite, while the commoners and business communities lived in the eastern wing. This gate was guarded by a massive, square bastion.

Planned mud-brick houses, with several rooms, a kitchen, a toilet, etc. are found built on either side. of the roads and lanes. Their sanitary arrangements depended on the use of sanitary pottery jars which served as washbasins, as also for soakage purposes. Except in a few places, which demanded constant use of water, structures were usually made of sun baked bricks meticulously molded into various sizes. Numerous household items like ovens, hearths, tandoors and blades made of chert and other stones, and sophisticated, ceramics known for their fanciful shapes have been excavated. The principal kinds of pottery recovered included vases, fruit stands, chalice cups' handled clips, 'S-shaped jars' perforated jars, cooking handis, beakers, basins, rooters, etc:

Among painted motifs, peacocks, Pipal and banana leaves, trees, deer, 'stars, fish, flowers, intersecting circles, checker-board patterns and honeycomb patterns are of special -interest. It is noteworthy that the pre-Indus ceramic tradition, continues here throughout, whereas at Kalibangan, it dies out, half-way through. The Harappan seals recovered here depict a rhinoceros, ibex, wild goat, unicorn, - a composite animal with a tiger's body and horns and the cubical weights and gamesman type of weights made of stones and ivory or bone reveal a great degree of precision and superb craftsmanship of the Harappan artists. Gold, copper and bronze pieces found here indicate that they had a profound knowledge of metallurgy. Among ornaments have been found beads of gold, copper, agate, carnelian, Lapis lazuli, faience, shell, bone and clay, bangles of copper, faience shell and terracotta, and pipal leaf shaped ear rings of faience.

Certain figurines of mother Goddess and the like suggest that the Harappans were very fond of decorating their persons with elaborate headgear, ear rings, necklaces, garlands, etc. Copper and bronze were used for weapons and tools as also for ornaments and items included arrows, spearheads, razor blades, chisels, fish hooks, beads, rings, bangles, antimony rods, wires and hair pins. Iron, however, was not known to them. Terracotta figurines of bulls, buffaloes, deer, dogs, rhinoceros and. birds are not only the evidence of their folk art tradition, but also throw welcome light on the fauna of those bygone days.

This site is one of most important archaeological sites of Haryana. It has attracted the attention of Indian archaeologists and in importance, it rivals Kotdljl and Chanhuo (Sind-Pakistan). Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Surkotda and Lothal (Gujarat), RakhiGarhi (district Hissar) and Mittathal (Bhiwani district).