A thematic, geographic, and temporal study, The Oxford Companion to Indian Archaeology offers a definitive introduction, area-by-area, phase-by-phase, to a whole range of archaeological data in the Indian subcontinent. Using a wide variety of sources ranging from earliest excavations to the most recent findings, this companion traces the archaeological scenario of the subcontinent, from the Stone Age to AD 13th century. Highlighting the interconnections between regional geographies and related archaeological and historical issues, it provides a comprehensive and authoritative perspective on Indian archaeology. Archaeological data and related evidence including inscriptions, coins, art, architecture as well as religious and iconographical frameworks are examined to review main historical debates and analyse various aspects of material and social life such as agriculture, metallurgy, pottery, internal and external trade, and religion. The book presents a succinct account of the archaeology of the Lakshadveep and the Andaman-Nicobar Island. It outlines the variegated dimensions of Indian archaeological history and efforts at conservation. It also revisits the Aryan question and discusses the most recent developments in the field of archaeology including the sites unearthed by the tsunami in December 2004. Characterized throughout by an intimate knowledge of the archaeological landscape, this multi-layered compendium provides a striking geographical and temporal frame to view archaeological and temporal frame to view archaeological developments in the subcontinent. Richly illustrated with photographs, figures, and maps, this volume will fill a long-felt lacuna in South Asian archaeological studies. Archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, conservationists, students and scholars, will use it as a key resource. It will also be useful for those interested in the growth of human cultures and civilizations.
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