Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. In the memory of my father Tarun Chandra Sharma/Sukanya Sharma. 3. General observations on the Northeast Indian Zone and its implications for Paleolithic studies/Parth R. Chauhan. 4. Situating Northeast Indian archaeology in chronological perspective: fresh observations/Pranab Jyoti Sarma and Manjil Hazarika. 5. A prehistoric thoroughfare between the Ganges and the Himalayas/George van Driem. 6. The contribution of linguistics to understanding the foraging/farming transition in Northeast India/Roger Blench. 7. Late Holocene climate and vegetation succession as inferred from Jokai Reserve Forest, Dibrugarh, Assam: Pollen record and anthropogenic impact/S.K. Bera, Swati Dixit and Kanupriya Gupta. 8. The prehistoric archaeology and human ecology of Nagaland/V. Nienu. 9. Hoabinhian in Manipur/O.K.Singh. 10. Hunting gathering strategies of the Galos of Arunachal Pradesh: a study/Bina Gandhi Deori. 11. Report of a preliminary survey in the Saidra Valley of Tripura/Biswajit Deb Barma. 12. Archaeology of Sikkim: a recent perspective/G.K. Lama. 13. Neolithic and megalithic remains of Khasi-Jaintia hills of Meghalaya: a synthesis/Marco Mitri. 14. Experimenting with stone tools: the Garo Neolithis/Q. Marak. 15. Carved-grooved Paddle, cord and fabric impressions on the ceramics from Southern and Northeastern India/V. Selvakumar. 16. Ceramic ethnoarchaeology in Northeast India/Chumbeno Ngullie. 17. Experimenting with the non-material aspect of pottery of Nagaland: some theoretical and historical considerations/Ditamulu Vasa. 18. An Oinam Poumai Potter at work: some implications for ceramic ethnoarchaeology/Rangya Gachui. 19. Archaeology and oral tradition of Northeast India: the need of a dialogue in interpreting the past/Anungla Aier. 20. The past in oral tradition and text: a case of reconstructing Naga-Ahom historical relations from corroborating sources/Aokumla Walling. 21. Hollowed Monoliths of North Cachar, Assam: prospects for archaeology and ethno-history/Tilok Thakuria. 22. Scope of skeletal anthropology in Northeast India with special reference to Nagaland/Veena Mushrif Tripathy. 23. Animal remains from Naga ancestral sites of Nagaland: a preliminary report/David Tetso. 24. A secondary burial practice found among the Chakpa Phayeng of Manipur/P. Binodini Devi. 25. Memory, power and sacredness: exploring the mortuary space of Charaideo/Ritika Sahu. 26. Landscapes, monuments, collective memories: understanding: pre-Christian belief systems and socio-religious practices of the Nagas/Rammathot Khongreiwo. 27. Ideologies, identities and memories: Interpreting stone structures of the Konyak and Angami Nagas/W. Wangjin. 28. Affinities of Naga Megaliths: an ethnoarchaeological study/Watijungshi Jamir. 29. Megalithic tradition in Nagaland: a study among the Lotha Nagas in Wokha District/Jonali Devi and Dhiraj Neog. 30. Ethnoarchaeology of the Karbi Megaliths/Dhritiman Sarma. 31. Jingkynmaw: Memories written in stone/Danny Burke. 32. Megalithic practices among the Mizo/Malsawmliana. 33. Ambari Ware networks and linkages in the Brahmaputra Valley from 7th century CE to 17th century CE/Preetee Sharma. 34. Bhitargarh: a ruined city of Prthu Raja in Ancient Kamrupa/Shahnaj Husne Jahan. 35. Socio-economic implications of early Naga trade: intra-inter tribal trade and external relations/Chubala Sanglir. 36. Terracotta sculptures of Ambari in Guwahati, Assam/Paromita Das. 37. Influence of Indian esoterism on sculptures of Arakan/Vinay Kumar Rao. 38. Iron in the history of Northeast India: awaiting researches/Amrendra Kumar Thakur. 39. Metal crafts of Assam/Pranab K. Chattopadhyay. 40. The ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010 vis-à-vis proprietary rights of Indigenous people under special provisions of the constitution of India: a case of Northeast India with special reference to Nagaland/Imotemsu and L.K. Jha. 41. Ancestral sites, local communities and archaeology in Nagaland: a community archaeology approach at Chungliyimti/Tiatoshi Jamir. 42. Who owns the Ethno-cultural past: cultural objects of the Nagas in far off museums/Alok Kumar Kanungo. 43. Eco-museum in Northeast India: exploring its concepts and relevance to Doul Govinda, Assam/Sangeeta Dutta. Index.
The volume is an attempt to capture the emerging diversity of approaches in the Archaeology of Northeast India both by archaeologists of the region and outside, ever since the first excavation at Daojali-Hading in North Cachar Hills. While a portion of the volume cover an extension of Sharma’s previous research concerns, there are however new perspectives such as social complexity and trade networks, experimental archeology, oral tradition, literary tradition and archaeology, language, archaeology, and genetics, community archaeology, archaeozoology, bioarchaeology, archaeometallurgy, comparative studies on ceramics and ceramic ethnoarchaeology, heritage management and tourism, antiquity trafficking and cultural property rights, archaeological legislation and indigenous cultural property rights, which have been discussed in the volume. The volume will therefore be an essential reading for students and scholars in archaeology and in the social sciences more generally. (jacket)
