A Short Note on an Unique Early Medieval Aqaba Amphora From Coastal East Medinipur District, West Bengal (original) (raw)
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An exploration was carried out in a so-far unexplored region along the shoreline of Bay of Bengal, located in the East Medinipur district, West Bengal. The survey resulted in the discovery of three inter-tidal archaeological sites represented by scattered mudflats and large ceramic assemblages just near the shoreline. The discovery of three inter-tidal archaeological sites in the region has thrown light on the early settlement near the shoreline which was previously considered to be of marginal significance and the detailed analysis of ceramic assemblage has shown some traces of possible coastal contact with Southeast Asian countries. This discovery has opened new possibilities for more geo-archaeological and marine archaeological research in this part of the coastal region in the future.
New evidence of marine archaeology around Mul Dwarka (Kodinar), Gujarat coast, India
2009
Abstract: Marine archaeological explorations were carried out in and around Mul Dwarka (Kodinar) on the Saurshtra coast. The oldest remains are attributed to the Harappan phase at Kanjetar and Kaj. Both sites are situated close to a creek which makes them potential sites for ports or trade centres. A few amphorae sherds were found at Kaj, which suggests that the site had trade contacts with the Roman world around the Christian era.
The site of Jayarampur in coastal landscape of the Northern segment of the east coast region was explored by the authors and this paper is based on the exploration results. The site is geographically located in the delta of the Suvarnarekha River and falls in the present district of Balasore, very near to the border of West Bengal. A dated inscription found from the site provides a very good account of the political geography and the religious aspect of late historical period in the aforementioned region. However, recent explorations have provided new evidences from the site which can be used to discuss trade and interaction networks in the Northern Bay of Bengal region from the late historical (6 th century CE) to the medieval period. The present paper therefore addresses questions of such networks based on artefactual evidences.
Marine archaeological explorations on the southwestern coast of Saurashtra, India
2006
Abstract: Marine archaeological investigations brought to light a large number of antiquities suggesting active maritime practices along the Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization. Recent underwater explorations between Miyani and Madhavpur on the Saurashtra coast yielded the remains of jetties along the Porbandar creek, stone anchors at Srinagar, Ghumli and Tukda, and off Miyani (Harshad Mata), and Kindari creek.
The Bengal delta covers 80,000 sq miles, lying between the Tippera hills on the east, the Shillong plateau and nepal Terai on the north and the highlands of the rajmahal and Chota nagpur on the west. i am focusing on a small region within this, incorporating the present districts of north and South 24-parganas and parts of east medinipur, for a critical stocktaking of archaeological investigations that were undertaken since the early decades of the last century. Coastal Bengal and its archaeology have formed subjects of some very important review papers. 1 Taking cue from these and expanding on the material culture by incorporating recent investigations i intend to see how far an integrated picture of the region emerges during the early historical and the early medieval periods, when habitation was believed to have been present. Certain parameters of a regional analysis have been highlighted in recent years. Can we define the archaeology of coastal Bengal according to such parameters? Texts form an important source material for this area; so i engage with the age-old question that has troubled generations of archaeologists and historians of early indiahow far are they relevant for a holistic understanding? i would like to mention at the outset that the choice of this region is arbitrary; i firmly believe that such ventures can also be attempted in other regions of Bengal.
Marine archaeological investigations along the Saurashtra coast, west coast of India
2005
Abstract: Utilization of the ocean resources on the Saurashtra coast is dating back to the Harappan period (3rd millennium BC) and evidences on the same have been recorded from various archaeological sites such as Lothal, Padri, Nageshwar and Bet Dwarka. Foreign travellers have mentioned the names of active ports on the Saurashtra coast since the early historical period. During the medieval period this coast has witnessed hectic maritime activities and international trade and commerce.
Indian Ocean Commerce and the Archaeology of Western India, 2010
This half-day session at the London EASAA conference in July 2005 was the result of our overlapping interest in Indian Ocean commerce during the Early Historic period. This shared interest grew out of our distinct backgrounds of Classical (RT), Maritime (LB) and Indian (SA) archaeology. Despite these differences our archaeological experience was unifi ed as we had all excavated at ports on the Egyptian Red Sea -at either Quseir al-Qadim (ancient Myos Hormos) and/or Berenike, sites critical to the context of Indo-Roman trade.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2019
South Asia has a rich Palaeolithic heritage, and chronological resolution for this record has substantially improved over the past decade as a result of focused, interdisciplinary research at a number of key sites. Expanding the spatial diversity of dated Palaeolithic sites in South Asia grows increasingly important to examine how patterns of change through time vary within and between the region's diverse habitats. Critically, alternate models of modern human dispersals into South Asia highlight the significance of either coastal or continental routes of dispersal, but currently no coastal Palaeolithic sites directly dating to the timeframe of human expansions are known. Our previous research in Kachchh was the first study to clearly identify the presence of Palaeolithic sites in Late Pleistocene landscapes in close proximity to the Indian Ocean coastline. Here, we present the first results of surface survey and test excavation at the site of Sandhav (Kachchh, India), approximately 25km from the modern shoreline. We characterise the geomorphology of the landscape, highlighting multiple phases of alluvial aggradation and post-depositional carbonate formation, associated with Palaeolithic artefacts. To date, excavations have tested the uppermost Pleistocene deposit, yielding a small collection of fresh Middle Palaeolithic artefacts associated with a luminescence age dating to the first half of MIS 5 (~114 ka), which provides a minimum age for Late Acheulean artefacts in underlying units. We discuss our findings in the context of debates surrounding the timing, lithic technologies, and ecologies associated with the expansions of modern humans into South Asia.