Barmer/Jaisalmer, July 31 -- Artefacts, estimated to be around 4,500 years old, have been discovered in the Thar desert, researchers said on Wednesday, adding that the remnants likely belong to the Harappan Civilisation. Experts claimed that this marks the first evidence of Harappan presence in the Thar desert. The excavation was carried out by a joint team from Rajasthan University, Rajasthan Vidyapeeth Udaipur, and other experts, including researcher Dilip Kumar Saini, historian Parth Jagani, Professor Jeevan Singh Kharakwal, Tamegh Panwar, Ravindra Devda, Chatar Singh 'Jam', and Pradeep Kumar Garg. The findings at Ratadiya Ri Dheri near Ramgarh have been confirmed by Kharakwal, Panwar, and Devda, and a research paper has been submitted to the Indian Journal of Science for publication. The site where the remnants were found about 60 km from Jaisalmer and 17 km north of Chhatrail. "From site, the researchers found a large quantity of fragmented pottery, including red slipped ware, bowls, jars, and pieces of perforated jars - artefacts typically associated with the urban phase of the Harappan Civilisation. Other discoveries include 8-10 cm blades made of chert stone, bangles crafted from clay and shells, triangular and circular terracotta cakes, and stone grinders likely used for processing grains," Saini said. He further said that a kiln with a central column was unearthed on the site's southern slope, resembling kilns found at Kanmer in Gujarat and Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan. "The presence of wedge-shaped and standard bricks suggests the use of circular furnaces and walls, providing further evidence of an organized urban settlement in this harsh desert environment," he said. Jagani highlighted the uniqueness of this site, which lies between northern Rajasthan and Gujarat, near the India-Pakistan border. "This not only expands the known geographical extent of the Harappan Civilisation but also underscores its adaptability to the challenging desert conditions," he said....