This paper presents the results of plant macro-remain and phytolith analyses from two Neolithic-Early Historic mounded settlement sites in Odisha, eastern India: Gopalpur and Golbai Sasan. Macrobotanical and phytolith samples were taken throughout the stratigraphy and the results are presented here. The plant remains confirm the presence of a distinct agricultural economy in Neolithic-Chalcolithic Odisha based on rice (Oryza sativa), pulses (Vigna spp., Macrotyloma uniflorium and Cajanus cajan) and millets (Bracharia ramosa, Panicum spp., Setaria spp. and possibly Paspalum sp.). Crop processing activities have been reconstructed using both phytoliths and macro-remains, and suggest that threshing occurred off site as part of a communal harvesting strategy. Potential differences between the economies of Golbai Sasan and Gopalpur are suggested, with a broader range of pulses present at Gopalpur. Radiocarbon dates from individual rice grains and legumes provide a secure chronology for the sites. This paper therefore provides the first published details for the agricultural base of the Neolithic-Chalcolithic coastal lowlands in Odisha, as well as new AMS radiocarbon dates for the Odishan Neolithic-Chalcolithic period.

The present paper is the outcome of a small documentary research that the author undertook since the year 2009 on the early life and academic foundation of an archaeologist – Vikuosa Nienu, wherein his contribution to the archaeology of the region seem like an unfamiliar one to the majority of us from Northeast India. But the value of his work stands out for two reasons – firstly, prior to this research, no archaeological investigations had ever been conducted in Nagaland beyond mere archaeological reconnaissance. It was a time when political situations in Nagaland were tense, and field archaeology at that time was considered problematic and challenging. Secondly, this pioneering work is laudable because of its theoretical underpinnings of three dominant paradigms – culture-historical, processual and behavioural archaeology where Nienu gained exposure as a student at the University of California, Berkeley and at the Grasshopper Pueblo Field School during the early 1970s. The paper thus, examines Nienu’s formative years at the School of Archaeology, New Delhi, and thereafter his field experiences, academic environment and the major paradigms that shaped his understanding of the region’s prehistory in the course of his later research.

Away from the Ganges valley, the south-eastern highlands of India is recognized as the region of origin of upland or aus rice. In this narrative, we attempt to reconstruct its origin synthesizing inklings from genetics, prehistory, and anthropology, and to find out the putative paleo-ecological, environmental, and cultural context that provided the necessary impetus to it. Genetically, we uncover a highly diverse phenotypic base with unique alleles hinting at an independent origin of aus perhaps from Oryza nivara. Post-LGM paleo-niche portrays more widely distributed O. nivara as opposed to O. rufipogon; relatively abundant O. nivara could have enabled its preferential exploitation. While a dearth of archaeological study does not illuminate much on this aspect; the agricultural attributes of the ethnic inhabitants of the area, e.g., dry rice cultivation with the hoe and the axe, reveal a striking similarity with aus or upland rice cultivation. Furthermore, comparative analyses with other historical anecdotes suggest that upland rice seems to be born as an adaptive landscape management by pre-agriculturist society. It was developed through a broader plant-people-landscape interaction, where rice or its ancestors were grown for subsistence with other crops as a Neolithic proto-agricultural package; in this case along the hill slopes. Summarizing, the current study casts light on some of the understudied aspects of upland rice agriculture, but it also brings out many open questions inviting future examination.

The ancient temple complex site at Chandhore in the Western Ghats of India was discovered in 2011. Subsequent excavations at the site revealed successive occupation from the Shilahara Period (1100 CE), to the Bahmani, Adilshahi, and Maratha Periods (1500 CE – 1800 CE). A stela like element bearing a motif of a cow suckling a calf were discovered at various locations at the site and its environs. Some of these showed an exceedingly fine level of craftsmanship whilst others were crude and devoid of inscriptions. These stelae/pillars are referred to as Gaay-vaasru (Cow-Calf) pillars. These stelae were found at random locations such as the backyard of a house, abandoned hillslopes, roadside pavements, etc. Understanding the significance of the erection of such pillars at these locations was the main objective of this project. Spatial techniques complemented by textual references, iconographic interpretations, etc. were used to achieve this objective.

The present author explored and studied 32 rock art sites, in Kaladgi basin, North Karnataka, among them 19 of which 67 localities are new discoveries in the Aihole-Badami-Kutakanakeri Series. This paper reviews of rock art of the series, a potential area of the Malaprabha river basin. The rock art includes both petroglyphs and pictograms in the form of cupules, geometrical lines, rhombus, human figures, historical paintings and many other motifs.

The concept of trade in ancient India was quite different from modern times. In olden day’s mariners, artisans, traders, Buddhist monks and religious leaders used to set sail together and this trend continued till the advent of modern shipping. The representation of art on the walls of the caves, stupas and temples enlighten us regarding their joint ventures, experiences and problems faced during the sea voyages. The finding of varieties of pottery, punch marked and Roman coins, Brahmi and Kharoshti inscriptions along the ports, trade centres and Buddhist settlements suggest the role played by them in maritime trade during the early historical period and later. Mariners of India were aware of the monsoon wind and currents for more than two thousand years if not earlier. Furthermore, the study shows that the maritime contact with Southeast Asian countries was seasonal and no changes of Southwest and Northeast monsoon have been noticed since then. This paper details the types of pottery, beads, cargo found at ports, trade routes and Buddhist settlements along the east coast of India and the role of monsoons in maritime trade. The impact of Buddhism on trade and society of the region are also discussed.

The small site archaeology has a remarkable potential to contribute on many greater issues in archaeological studies. Similarly, micro dimensional data of any category should prove to be of great importance if studied judiciously. The present paper intends to point out this very fact with a special reference to skeletal remains of micromammals in the category of rodents as a special case. This topic has been specifically undertaken because it is largely observed that such skeletal material tends to be overlooked and sometimes even totally discarded as of no archaeological significance. Rats and mice (muroids, Order: Rodentia) are one of the world’s ubiquitous small rodents whose antiquity in India goes back to the Tertiary period. Its skeletal remains have been reported from several archaeological sites in India with temporal range of about 20 ka. Rodents have the potential to provide palaeoenvironmental information not attainable from other animal groups. The fact is well appreciated in palaeoentology but unfortunately remains to be confronted in archaeological context so far. The present paper ventures to ponder upon the possibilities of palaeoenvironmental interpretations of rodent fauna in archaeological record. A sizable assemblage of microvertebrates excavated from an Early Historic site of Kopia, Dist. Sant Kabirnagar (Uttar Pradesh state of India) offers a case study of microfaunal interpretations. Evidence of muroid’s contribution to the diet of ancient human population is discussed with reference to several existing hunting gathering communities practicing small game and the Musehars, aborigines living in the interiors of Gangetic plains. It provides a ready database for the dietary inferences with regard to the rodent fauna that are interpreted from archaeological perspective. The paper demonstrates multifold implications of evidence of rats and mice in archaeololgical record that have significant bearing on the ecology, subsistence and behavioural archaeology.

North-western India is now emerging as one of those places where the transition(s) from hunting gathering to farming occurred indigenously, so it is feasible to observe the processual change within the region as a whole. This transformation which represents a profound social change is generally attributed to traditional climate forcing model leading to a collapse of foraging economies. This paper discusses that the origin of agricultural lifestyle in north-western India did not happen only because of the collapse of the foraging economies due to climatic factor but also because of the resilient cultural system they had.

<p class="p1">A large number of religious monuments from this period are spread across the state (Choudhury 2013). However, nothing is known of firstly, the neighbouring habitation sites. Secondly, the regional network of such sites. Much of the archaeological research in Assam is mainly single-site oriented, and art historical methods are often used for to study such sites. As a result the early medieval structures or monuments remain isolated features in the landscape sans context in regards to its immediate surroundings. Documentation of more settlements of this period and studying their characteristics and their connection to other neighbouring sites is the key to comprehensively understanding the early medieval history of Assam. Having felt such a need, this small scale, independent, surface survey project was carried out across nine modern villages around the archaeological site of Sri Surya Pahar (SSP) in Goalpara district, western Assam. The main aim of this project was to explore the immediate surroundings of Sri Surya Pahar site (SSP site) and document the visible archaeological features and examine the potential of this area for future projects.

The aim of the paper is to analyze the Brahmi inscriptions engraved at Kondane caves. All the previous research works have recorded and studied only one donation that was made by Balaka, a disciple of Kanha. Apart from this inscription, three more inscriptions have been noted. In our quest to search them we could locate only one in situ that has been photo documented and analyzed.