The Archaeology of South Asia: From the Indus to Asoka, c.6500 BCE–200 CE
This book offers a critical synthesis of the archaeology of South Asia from the Neolithic period (c. 6500 BCE), when domestication began, to the spread of Buddhism accompanying the Mauryan Emperor Asoka's reign (third century BCE). The authors examine the growth and character of the Indus civilisation, with its town planning, sophisticated drainage systems, vast cities and international trade. They also consider the strong cultural links between the Indus civilisation and the second, later period of South Asian urbanism which began in the first millennium BCE and developed through the early first millennium CE. In addition to examining the evidence for emerging urban complexity, this book gives equal weight to interactions between rural and urban communities across South Asia and considers the critical roles played by rural areas in social and economic development. The authors explore how narratives of continuity and transformation have been formulated in analyses of South Asia's Prehistoric and Early Historic archaeological record.
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Contents
Introduction and Definitions
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3 |
South Asias Environmental
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32 |
Histories of South Asian Archaeology
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67 |
Multiple Neolithics c 65002000 BCE
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103 |
Regionalisation and Differentiated Communities
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141 |
The Indus Civilisation
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177 |
Transformations of a System
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241 |
Transformations and Continuities
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281 |
The ReEmergence of Regional Differentiation
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315 |
Towards an Early Historic World
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354 |
The Mauryans and the Asokan Ideal c 321185 BCE
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406 |
Conclusions
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461 |
493 | |
523 | |
Other editions - View all
The Archaeology of South Asia: From the Indus to Asoka, c.6500 BCE–200 CE Robin Coningham,Ruth Young No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
Achaemenid agricultural Allchin animals Anuradhapura archaeological artefacts Asian Asokan assemblage associated Baluchistan Brahmagiri Buddhist burials cemeteries centres century BCE ceramic Chalcolithic Chapter Charsadda chronological circa communities complex Coningham continued copper Dani dates demonstrated differentiated Dilmun distinct domestication earlier Early Historic Tradition east edicts Erdosy evidence example excavations Figure Harappa hectares identified India indicated Indus Civilisation Indus Valley Tradition inhabitants Integration interpreted Iron Age Jarrige Kalibangan Kenoyer kilometres Kot Dijian linked Localisation located Lothal Lumbini Mahajanapadas major material culture Mauryan Empire megalithic Mehrgarh metres wide millennium BCE Mohenjo-daro monumental Mound mud-brick Neolithic networks noted occupation Pakistan period phase pillar Plan population Possehl pottery presence radiocarbon recognised recorded recovered region Regionalisation Rehman Dheri River scholars seals sequence settlement Shaffer Shahr-i Sokhta similar social South Asia Sri Lanka Stacul stone structures suggested Swat Taxila terracotta Thapar tion trade transformation urban forms urban-focused walls Ware Wheeler Whilst