{{Short description|Ancient city in India}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}} '''Tosali''' or '''Toshali''' was an ancient city in the present day Odisha state in eastern India. It was the capital of the eastern province of the Kalinga Kingdom.<ref>Thapar, R. (2001) ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', New Delhi: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, p.100</ref> While some scholars tried to identify this ancient city with Dhauli, 7 km away from Bhubaneshwar,<ref>Thapar, R. (2001) ''{{IAST|Aśoka}} and the Decline of the Mauryas'', New Delhi: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-564445-X}}, p.230</ref> other scholars were inclined to identify this city with Shishupalgarh, 5 km away from Bhubaneshwar.<ref>[http://orissagov.nic.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/july2006/engpdf/49-53.pdf Dhauli: An early Historic Urban Centre of Orissa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010103619/http://orissagov.nic.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/july2006/engpdf/49-53.pdf |date=2008-10-10 }} in Orissa Review, July, 2006</ref>
Recent archaeological excavations showing fort ruins and major ancient era weapons, inscriptions and presence of Kushan era gold coins gives credence to the sites at Radhanagar near Brahmani river in Jajpur district to be the most likely location of Tosali.<ref>{{cite news |title=India: Odisha farmer finds gold coin dating back to second century |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/india-odisha-farmer-finds-gold-coin-dating-back-to-second-century-1.1596814365162 |website=Gulf News |last1=Sudarsan |first1=Surabhi |date=August 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= This excerpt from a new book recasts Emperor Ashoka reputation as a pacifist |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/this-excerpt-from-a-new-book-recasts-emperor-ashoka-reputation-as-a-pacifist/story-TqfYHU3yhLxt3SXFfqUK5J.html |website=The Hindustan Times |date=August 7, 2016}}</ref>
==Excavations at Shishupalgarh== {{Main|Sisupalgarh}} thumb|300px|right|Eighteen stone pillars discovered during the excavations at Shishupalgarh In 1948, the first excavation in Shishupalgarh was conducted by an Archaeological Survey of India team led by B.B. Lal, followed by another in 1950. These excavations led to the discovery of an ancient fortified urban centre in Shishupalgarh. The mud fortification, constructed in the early 2nd century BCE is almost square shaped and about 1.2 km each side. The evidence of habitation outside the fortified area between 300 BCE to 350 CE was also found during the excavations.<ref name="singh1">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Upinder|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century|year=2008|publisher=Pearson Education|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-317-1677-9|page=338}}</ref>
Since 2001, a joint team from the Deccan College, Pune and the University of California started excavating this site again. So far, the major findings of this team include eighteen stone pillars.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/08/stories/2008020859211100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211093450/http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/08/stories/2008020859211100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 February 2008|title=Sisupalgarh had a flourishing urban life: researchers|last=Barik|first=Satyasundar|date=8 February 2008|work=The Hindu|accessdate=7 August 2010}}</ref>
==Radhanagar site== ===Ashokan stupas=== The 10 Ashokan stupas described by the Chinese traveller Xuanzang in his travel accounts Great Tang Records on the Western Regions were discovered nearby. The site matches the accounts made by Hieun Tsang, which he mentions that area here Emperor Ashoka built these stupas to commemorate Gautama Buddha's visit and preaching.<ref name="frontline" >{{cite news |title=Exploring an ancient kingdom |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/article30206484.ece |website=The Hindu |last1=Das|first1=Prafulla |date=October 7, 2005}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|India}} * Kalinga * Maurya Empire
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Ancient Indian cities Category:Kalinga (India) Category:Former populated places in India
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