Megalithic Period in North Maidan, Karnataka

The megalithic period in Karnataka is significant as it witnessed technological developments like the beginning of use of iron and fast wheel for the making of pottery as well as socio-economic and institutional developments such as the emergence of an agrarian base, demographic expansion, rudimentary craft specialisation, a developing exchange network and a degree of social differentiation. Many features typical of the megalithic phase continue into the early historic period. In fact, the megalithic and the early historical do not essentially represent two distinct chronological entities and are found overlapping at certain sites. So far, there is no literary evidence for the culture, and there is nothing to suggest that the society was literate—if graffiti on the megalithic pottery do not turn out to be symbols of writing

Middle Neolithic pits and Bronze Age activity at Tinto Sand and Gravel Quarry, Thankerton, South Lanarkshire

An investigation by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd took place in late 2002 ahead of the extension of a sand and gravel quarry near Thankerton, South Lanarkshire. Excavations revealed domestic activity dating from the middle Neolithic to the late Bronze Age, with a further phase of activity in the early historic period. Middle Neolithic pits were recorded across the site and contained sherds of Impressed Ware, a polished stone axe and an assemblage of lithics. Following the middle Neolithic there appears to have been a hiatus in activity until the Bronze Age. Several late Bronze Age features were recorded including at least two ring-ditches. The latest feature on site is a bicameral enclosure, with a possible palisade of uncertain date.

Merchants and state society: Some case studies from early historic period and the ‘threshold times’ (c. 600 bc to ad 700)

The history of the evolution of state in India, or any country, cannot be studied in isolation from the evolution of other institutions of society. We are thus entitled to trace the evolution of the ‘state society’ meaning a society that had the state as its major institution; and this further obliges us to trace, among other factors behind the evolution of state, the factor of trade, its organisation and requirements, security being a major factor behind its own growth—one that could only be provided, in its turn, by the state. The present article draws on the varied evidence available to us from the so-called ‘threshold times’, ending c. 1300, on the evolving relationship between the mercantile world and the state. Both literary texts and inscriptions are put to use in our enquiry. It brings into question the widespread assumption that there was a decline of trading activities in the late centuries of the period the article deals with.

Iran and India in the early historic period: A preview of their politico-cultural interface

The Achaemenid Empire’s expansion towards the Indus basin initiated a new confluence of Iranic and Indian cultures. Alexander’s conquests added a Greek component to this confluence, marked by Aśoka’s Aramaic and Greek edicts. The Seleucids and their successor Greek states in Bactria and other parts of Afghanistan, while continuing their homage to Greek divinities on coins, also incorporated concepts, customs and art inherited from the Achaemenids. Their Saka and Parthian successors continued the same policy as indicated by their cons. It was the Kushans beginning with Kanishka (with Huvishka continuing the practice) who shifted to Iranian gods and goddesses.

Sebelum Jalur Rempah: Awal Interaksi Niaga Lintas Batas di Maluku dalam Perspektif Arkeologi

Spice Route has become one of the main issues in the cultural historical studies of Indonesia recently. The discussion is still attached to effort to understand the existence of spice route as the part of the extensive trade system that have been initiated by the history of contact and interaction with the traveler from Western Asia; China; and the European explorers. There were almost no discussion that tried to explore the nature of the spice route prior to the contact with the Mainland Asia and the European. Including in the Maluku Archipleago. This paper discuss the formation process of the spice trade system in the prehistoric period and early historic period in Maluku from the archaeological perspective. The approach that has been adopted in this research is bibliographical studies. This paper found that the trade system and exchange in Maluku has been initiated since the prehistoric period as has been highlighted by the arcaheological studies in the region. Jalur rempah kembali menjadi salah satu isu yang mengemuka dalam diskusi sejarah budaya Nusantara setahun terakhir. Dimana wacana yang mengemuka umumnya masih mengamati keberadaan jalur rempah sebagai jejaring yang dibentuk oleh sejarah kontak dan interaksi dengan para penjelajah dari Asia Barat; Tiongkok dan terutama para pendatang Eropa. Hampir tak ada diskusi yang mencoba mengamati kemungkinan tumbuh kembang jalur niaga ini di era yang jauh lebih awal. Termasuk di Kepulauan Maluku. Makalah ini mencoba mengamati proses pembentukan jaringan niaga dan perdagangan rempah serta aneka komoditi eksotik di masa prasejarah dan awal sejarah di Kepulauan Maluku dari sudut pandang studi arkeologi. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah kajian pustaka. Hasil kajian menemukan bahwa jaringan niaga dan pertukaran di Maluku telah dibentuk semenjak masa prasejarah sebagaimana ditunjukkan oleh ragam hasil penelitian arkeologi.

Becoming Classical Artemis: A Glimpse at the Evolution of the Goddess as Traced in Ancient Arcadia

<p>This paper is concerned with the evolution of the goddess Artemis in Ancient Greek religion from prehistoric till late historic times. In the related studies, still there is no certainty as to the beginning of worship of Artemis in Ancient Greece and her original concept. Moreover, Artemis’ appearance in the early historic period with the features of the prehistoric Mountain-Mother-Goddess, the Mistress of Animals, the goddess of lakes, the goddess of trees, the goddess of birth and child-care, on the one hand, and as a virgin-huntress who presented rudimentary traits of bear-goddess and deer-goddess, on the other, raises questions whether Artemis originally had all these hypostases or acquired them gradually through assimilation with different goddesses. This paper argues that the concept of Artemis as attested during the historic period was the result of its long development, which consisted of two major phases. Originally, Artemis was a goddess of wild animals and herself was imagined as a bear and a doe. Perhaps, from the beginning, she was regarded as a guardian of sacred rules and a punisher for inappropriate religious behavior. Gradually, Artemis was identified with the old universal goddess of nature and received from her connection with mountain-tops and lakes, responsibility for plant growth and fertility in general, obligation to protect childbirth, etc.. In this paper, the evolution of the concept of Artemis is traced on the basis of her cults practiced in Arcadia, one of a few areas of Ancient Greece where ethno-cultural continuity remained unbroken from prehistoric to late historic times.</p>