South Asian Archaeology and Art 2024: Concise Papers from the 26th International Conference of the European Association for South Asian Archaeology and Art held in Leipzig, 16th – 20th September 2024

The present volume contains over sixty contributions reflecting the wide range of topics discussed at the 26th International Conference of the European Association for South Asian Archaeology and Art, held in September 2024 in Leipzig. The papers included here are concise versions of those presented at the conference. It has always been a primary aim of the EASAA conferences to provide space for the presentation of results from current projects and fieldwork without thematic limitation; accordingly, a number of contributions focus on recent research in prehistoric and historic archaeology, as well as art and architectural history. The volume also reflects the ongoing expansion of scholarly perspectives within the field. Several contributions examine connections with neighbouring geographical regions such as Central and Southeast Asia, engage with related academic disciplines including epigraphy, ethno-archaeology, and heritage studies, and demonstrate how technological developments in recent years have become essential tools for conducting research and making its results accessible to a wider audience.

The volume also reproduces the two keynote lectures in full. These contributions address more fundamental questions, calling for a critical reassessment of seemingly established scholarly positions and, particularly in light of current debates on the handling of unprovenanced archaeological and art-historical material in academic research, emphasising the continuing necessity of careful reflection on one’s own professional practices.