Objects from Lothal 2500-2000 BCE. Lothal is one of the southernmost cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization. Discovered in 1954, Lothal was excavated from 13 February 1955 to 19 May 1960 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the official Indian government agency for the preservation of ancient monuments.According to the ASI, Lothal had the world's earliest known dock. Lothal was a vital and thriving trade centre in ancient times,