[3] The prehistoric and pre-Mauryan character of Indus Valley civilization was first identified by Luigi Tessitori at this site.

The report concluded that Kalibangan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Kalibangan is distinguished by its unique fire altars and "world's earliest attested ploughed field".

The Kalibangan pre-historic site was discovered by Luigi Pio Tessitori, an Italian Indologist (1887–1919).

Luigi Pio Tessitori also pointed out the nature of the culture, but at that time it was not possible to guess that the ruins of Kalibangan lay within the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, or ASI) was the first person to recognise this site as Harappan and marked it out for excavations.

Within the walled area, the houses were also built of mud bricks of the same size as used in the fort wall; the use of burnt bricks is attested by a drain within the houses, remains of ovens and cylindrical pits, lined with lime plaster.

B. Lal, former DG of ASI writes, "Kalibangan in Rajasthan has given the evidence of the earliest (c. 2800 BC) ploughed agricultural field[12] ever revealed through an excavation.".

"Kalibangan excavations in present western Rajasthan shows a ploughed field, the first site of this nature in the world.

Early Harappan Phase pottery found at Kalibangan has been classified to make a datum line for ceramic studies in the Indian subcontinent, which is known as the six fabrics of Kalibanagan.

[16] Six fabrics of Kalibanagan refer to the distinguishing mark on pottery of this early Harappan phase characterized by six fabrics labelled A, B, C, D, E and F, which were later identified also at nearby site of Sothi belonging to Sothi-Siswal culture which is a subtype of Early Harappan Phase.

[16] Six fabrics of Kalibanagan ae as follows:[16] Among the other finds of this Period are: small blades of chalcedony and agate, sometimes serrated or backed; beads of steatite, shell, carnelian, terracotta and copper; bangles of copper, shell and terracotta; terracotta objects like a toy-cart, wheel and a broken bull; quem with mullers, a bone point, and copper celts, including an unusual axe, etc.

B. Lal, former DG of ASI writes,"Kalibangan in Rajasthan ... has also shown that there occurred an earthquake around 2600 BC, which brought to an end the Early Indus settlement at the site.".

[19] At least three pre-historic earthquakes affecting the Indus Valley Civilization at Dholavira in Khadir have been identified during 2900–1800 BC.

[20] KLB-I phase has left 1.6 meters of continuous deposits during five distinct structural strata, the last of which was destroyed perhaps by an earthquake and the site was abandoned around 2600 BCE, soon to be settled again by Harappans.

[22] It is the only Indus Valley Civilization site where there is no evidence to suggest the worship of the mother goddess.

[23] Within the fortified citadel complex, the southern half contained many (five or six) raised platforms of mud bricks, mutually separated by corridors.

[24] The official website of ASI reports : "Besides the above two principle [sic] parts of the metropolis there was also a third one-a moderate structure situated upwards of 80 m e. of the lower town containing four to five fire altars.

B. Lal wrote: "Well-regulated streets (were) oriented almost invariably along with the cardinal directions, thus forming a grid-iron pattern.

Second east–west road ran in a curved outline to meet the first at the north-eastern end (towards the river), where a gateway was provided.

Due to grid-pattern of town planning like a chess board, all houses opened out to at least two or three roads or lanes.

Houses were built of 10 X 20 X 30 cm adobe bricks[5] (same as those used in second structural phase of fort wall).

The best terracotta figure from Kalibangan is that a charging bull which is considered to signify the "realistic and powerful folk art of Harappan Age".

A cylindrical graduated measuring rod and a clay ball with human figures are other notable finds.

Director General of Archaeological Survey of India) supports this view by asserting: "Radiocarbon dates indicate that the Mature Harappan settlement at Kalibangan had to be abandoned sometime around 2650[5] BCE.

This latter part is duly established by the work of Raikes, an Italian hydrologist, and of his Indian collaborators".

A few miles downstream is the railway station and township named Pilibangā, which means Yellow Bangles.