Gomsi Fort

Gomsi Fort is an ancient archaeological site situated in Rani Village within the East Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Located approximately fifteen kilometers from the town of Pasighat, this settlement dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries and is historically associated with the Chutia Kingdom. Believed to have been constructed by a Chutia King, the site likely served as a strategic checkpoint designed to maintain regional peace and control trade exchanges during that era. The complex features a large brick mound, an L-shaped earthen mound, and an ancient man-made pond known as a pukhuri. These structures were originally surrounded by a nala, or channel, which functioned dually as a defensive moat and a vital water supply source for the inhabitants.

Excavations conducted by the Directorate of Research between 1995 and 1997 uncovered significant remnants of the past, including exposed brick walls from house structures and evidence of superstructures built with perishable materials atop brick foundations. Archaeologists discovered thirteen distinct sizes and shapes of bricks used in construction, alongside various artifacts such as black painted pottery with criss-cross designs, stone urns, flower vase fragments, and iron spearheads. These findings firmly assign the site to the pre-Ahom Chutia period. Today, Gomsi exists in a ruined condition but remains under the management and ownership of the Archaeological Survey of India. It is recognized as a public heritage site, offering access to visitors interested in the region's rich historical landscape and the architectural legacy of the Chutia civilization.