[Below is reproduced the "Summary of Results" of the Archaeological Survey of India report on the Ayodhya excavations. This is contained in Volume 18 (pages 4299 to 4305) of Justice Sudhir Agarwal's judgment in the Allahabad High Court case on the Ayodhya dispute]
"Summary of Results":
"Excavation at the disputed site of Rama
Janmabhumi - Babri Masjid was carried out by the
Archaeological Survey of India from 12 March 2003 to 7
August 2003. During this period, as per the directions of
the Hon'ble High Court, Lucknow, 82 trenches were
excavated to verify the anomalies mentioned in the report
of the Ground Penetrating Radar Survey which was
conducted at the site prior to taking up the excavations. A
total number of 82 trenches along with some of their baulks
were checked for anomalies and anomaly alignments. The
anomalies were confirmed in the trenches in the form of
pillar bases, structures, floors and foundation though no
such remains were noticed in some of them at the stipulated
depths and spots. Besides the 82 trenches, a few more
making a total of 90 finally were also excavated keeping in
view the objective fixed by the Hon'ble High Court to
confirm the structures.
The results of the excavation are summarized as here
under:
The northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) using
people were the first to occupy the disputed site at
Ayodhya. During the first millennium B.C. although no
structural activities were encountered in the limited area
probed, the material culture is represented by terracotta
figurines of female deities showing archaic features, beads
of terracotta and glass, wheels and fragments of votive
tanks etc. The ceramic industry has the collection of
NBPW, the main diagnostic trait of the period besides the
grey, black slipped and red wares. A round signet with
legend in Asokan Brahmi is another important find of this
level. On the basis of material equipment and 14 C dates,
this period may be assigned to circa 1000 B.C. to 300 B.C.
The Sunga horizon (second-first century B.C.) comes
next in the order of the cultural occupation at the site. The
typical terracotta mother goddess, human and animal
figurines, beads, hairpin, engraver etc. represent the
cultural matrix of this level. The pottery collection includes
black slipped, red and grey wares etc. The stone and brick
structure found from this level mark the beginning of the
structural activity at the site.
The Kushan period (first to third century A.D.)
followed the Sunga occupation. Terracotta human and
animal figurines, fragments of votive tanks, beads,
antimony rod, hair pin, bangle fragments and ceramic
industry comprising red ware represent the typical Kushan
occupation at the site. Another important feature of this
period is the creation of large sized structures as witnesses
by the massive structure running into twenty-two courses.
The advent of Guptas (fourth to sixth century A.D.)
did not bring any qualitative change in building activity
although the period is known for its Classical artistic
elements. However, this aspect is represented by the typical
terracotta figurines and a copper coin with the legend Sri
Chandra (Gupta) and illustrative potsherds.
During the Post-Gupta-Rajput period (seventh to
tenth century A.D.), too the site has witnessed structural
activity mainly constructed of burnt bricks. However,
among the exposed structures, there stands a circular brick
shrine which speaks of its functional utility for the first
time. To recapitulate quickly, exteriorly on plan, it is
circular whereas internally squarish with an entrance from
the east. Though the structure is damaged, the northern
wall still retains a provision for pranala, i.e., waterchute
which is a distinct feature of contemporary temples already
known from the Ganga-Yamuna plain.
Subsequently, during the early medieval period
(eleventh - twelfth century A.D.) a huge structure, nearly 50
m in north-south orientation was constructed which seems
to have been short lived, as only four of the fifty pillar
bases exposed during the excavation belong to this level
with a brick crush floor. On the remains of the above
structure was constructed a massive structure with at least
three structural phases and three successive floors attached
with it. The architectural members of the earlier short lived
massive structure with stencil cut foliage pattern. And other
decorative motifs were reused in the construction of the
monumental structure having a huge pillared hall (or two
halls) which is different from residential structures,
providing sufficient evidence of a construction of public
usage which remained under existence for a long time
during the period VII (Medieval-Sultanate level - twelfth to
sixteenth century A.D.) It was over the top of this
construction during the early sixteenth century, the
disputed structure was constructed directly resting over it.
There is sufficient proof of existence of a massive and
monumental structure having a minimum dimension of
50x30 m in north-south and east-west directions
respectively just below the disputed structure. In course of
present excavations nearly 50 pillar bases with brick bat
foundation, below calcrete blocks topped by sandstone
blocks were found. The pillar bases exposed during the
present excavation in northern and southern areas also
give an idea of the length of the massive wall of the earlier
construction with which they are associated and which
might have been originally around 60 m (of which the 50 m
length is available at present). The centre of the central
chamber of the disputed structure falls just over the central
point of the length of the massive wall of the preceding
period which could not be excavated due to presence of
Ram Lala at the spot in the make-shift structure. This area
is roughly 15x15 m on the raised platform. Towards east of
this central point a circular depression with projection on
the west, cut into the large sized brick pavement, signify the
place where some important object was placed. Terracotta
lamps from the various trenches and found in a group in
the levels of Periods VII in trench G2 are associated with
the structural phase.
In the last phase of the period VII glazed ware sherds
make their appearance and continue in the succeeding
levels of the next periods where they are accompanied by
glazed tiles which were probably used in the original
construction of the disputed structure. Similarly is the case
of celadon and porcelain sherds recovered in a very less
quantity they come from the secondary context. Animal
bones have been recovered from various levels of different
periods, but skeletal remains noticed in the trenches in
northern and southern areas belong to the Period IX as the
grave pits have been found cut into the deposition coeval
with the late disputed structures and are sealed by the top
deposit.
It is worthwhile to observe that the various structures
exposed right from the Sunga to Gupta period do not speak
either about their nature or functional utility as no
evidence has come to approbate them. Another noteworthy
feature is that it was only during and after Period IV
(Gupta level) onwards upto Period IX (late and post
Mughal level) that the regular habitational deposits
disappear in the concerned levels and the structural phases
are associated with either structural debris or filling
material taken out from the adjoining area to the level the
ground for construction purpose. As a result of which much
of the earlier material in the form of pottery, terracottas
and other objects of preceding periods, particularly of
Period I (NBPW level) and Period III (Kushan level) are
found in the deposits of later periods mixed along with
their contemporary material. The area below the disputed
site thus, remained a place for public use for a long time
till the Period VIII (Mughal level) when the disputed
structure was built which was confined to a limited area
and population settled around it as evidenced by the
increase in contemporary archaeological material
including pottery. The same is further attested by the
conspicuous absence of habitational structures such as
house-complexes, soakage pits, soakage jars, ring wells,
drains, wells, hearths, kilns or furnaces etc. from Period IV
(Gupta level) onwards and in particular from Period VI
(Early Medieval-Rajput level) and Period VII (Medieval-
Sultanate level).
The site has also proved to be significant for taking
back its antiquarian remains for the first time to the middle
of the thirteenth century B.C. (1250±130 B.C.) on the
analogy of the C14 dates. The lowest deposit above the
natural soil represents the NBPW period and therefore the
earliest remains may belong to the thirteenth century B.C.
which is confirmed by two more consistent C14 dates from
the NBPW level (Period I), viz. (910±100 B.C.) These dates
are from trench G7. Four more dates from the upper
deposit though showing presence of NPBW and associated
pottery are determined by Radio-Carbon dating as 780±80
B.C., 530±70 B.C. And 320±80 B.C.. In the light of the
above dates in association with the Northern Black
Polished Ware (NBPW) which is generally accepted to be
between circa 600 B.C. to 300 B.C. it can be pushed back
to circa 1000 B.C. and even if a solitary date, three
centuries earlier is not associated with NBPW, the human
activity at the site dates back to circa thirteenth century
B.C. on the basis of the scientific dating method providing
the only archaeological evidence of such an early date of
the occupation of the site.
The Hon'ble High Court, in order to get sufficient
archaeological evidence on the issue involved "whether
there was any temple/structure which was demolished and
mosque was constructed on the disputed site "as stated on
page 1 and further on p.5 of their order dated 5 march
2003, had given directions to the Archaeological Survey of
India to excavate at the disputed site where the GPR
Survey has suggested evidence of anomalies which could
be structure, pillars, foundation walls, slab flooring etc.
which could be confirmed by excavation. Now, viewing in
totality and taking into account the archaeological
evidence of a massive structure just below the disputed
structure and evidence of continuity in structural phases
from the tenth century onwards upto the construction of the
disputed structure alongwith the yield of stone and
decorated bricks as well as mutilated sculpture of divine
couple and carved architectural members including foliage
patterns, amalaka, kapotapali doorjamb with semi-circular
pilaster, broken octagonal shaft of black schist pillar, lotus
motif, circular shrine having pranala (waterchute) in the
north, fifty pillar bases in association of the huge structure,
are indicative of remains which are distinctive features
found associated with the temples of north India."
Imagine had it been any other place in the country,(barring north east and J&K) it would have been a headline everyday. We as Indians should be ashamed of the killing, much as we should be condemning the violence instigated by the separatists. And arundhati 
