Moidam-78

Excavations (2021-23) at Moidam 78 (Diameter: 53.80 m; Height: 11.00 m) by the Directorate of Archaeology, Government of Assam revealed traces of an octagonal Chou Cha Li atop the Moidam. The Moidam was also provided with an octagonal dwarf boundary wall with an off centre entrance across it from the west. Two in situ brick sockets on either side of the entrance indicate that a double-leaf door controlled the entry. Most likely, a small open piece of land with a double row of cobblestone edging was intended for a flower garden inside the boundary wall but outside the Moidam.

The burial chamber made of bricks is rectangular on plan and has a domical ceiling. Interior of the vault was finished with lime plaster. A row of six iron hooks (or nails), one above the other, was found arranged above each of the chamber's four corners in the ceiling. The purpose of these iron hooks seems to support a multilayered cloth canopy (Chandratap), over the body of the entombed ruler. The entrance passageway to the burial vault was found completely blocked with the cobbles (Lathia sils), and at its inner edge, with a thin brick wall.

Besides human skeletal remains, other objects found from excavation include pieces of timber plank wrapped in copper sheath, fragmentary ghunghroos (tiny metallic bells), leafshaped gold pendants, decorative ivory buttons, iron nails, and a variety of fragmentary pottery vessels.