Aspects of Indian Archaeology

Contents: Preface. 1. Continuity in the emergence of early urban centres. 2. The myth of hiatus between Chalcolithic and Iorn Ages. 3. Material context of the origin of iron technology in India. 4. Iron in early literature. 5. Transition from ruralism to urbanism in the Gangetic Doab. 6. Painted Grey Ware : its origin, direction of dispersal and significance. 7. Origin of Megalithism in India. 8. Origin of glass technology in India. 9. Antiquity of food production--survey of new evidence. 10. Early history of agriculture. 11. Agricultural production during early Iron Age in Northern India. 12. Excavations at Jakhera, 1986-93,--a brief report.

"This book is a panoramic study of various aspects of protohistoric archaeology of India. The merit of the book lies in author's own keen observation and insight to peep through the available archaeological evidences for providing new interpretation, leading to conclusions entirely different from generally accepted concepts and formulations. Divergent views and healthy academic criticisms are essential for the growth of knowledge.

"Another interesting aspect that has been thoroughly discussed and demonstrated is that the beginning of iron in Central India can be placed between 1600-1500 B.C. and that transition from Copper-Bronze Age to Iron Age was also a continuous process without any hiatus. The early Iron Age levels of central India have been identified and defined. Allied with these, the problems of correlation with the literary evidence and the impact of iron technology on Agriculture and Megalithism are discussed.

"There is a detailed description in a lucid manner about the prehistoric and protohistoric agriculture. Prof. Sahi believes that iron technology did play a vital and significant role in agricultural production. He has also given a new direction to the study of Vedic Archaeology in India." (jacket)

[M.D.N. Sahi is Professor of Archaeology and Ancient History, Aligarh Muslim University.]