Archaeology of lighthouses along the Indian coast with reference to a lighthouse at Kodinar, Gujarat

Abstract

A lighthouse is an important aid for navigation and they are in use for the past 2500 years The archaeological remains of light houses are meagre in India and the earliest remains are not dated earlier than the medieval period However, coastal monuments like temples were used as markers of coasts by navigators since early times Recent exploration near Kodinar revealed a structure with a height of abut 4 m and circular in shape It is locally called Diva Dandi, which means lighthouse The shape of the structure and location clearly indicates the use of this structure as a lighthouse during the early medieval period The remains of stone anchors also suggest that Mul Dwarka (Kodinar) was an ancient port.