Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE (South Asia Research)

This volume is the result of an international conference organized by the South Asia Institute at the University of Texas. Patrick Olivelle has collected and edited the best papers to emerge from the conference. Part I of the book looks at what can be construed from archeological evidence. Part II concerns itself with the textual evidence for the period. Taken together, these essays offer an unprecedented look at Indian culture and society in this distant epoch. Title Pages 1 South Asia Research 3 Preface 5 Abbreviations 8 Contributors 12 Part One Digging the Past: Archaeology and History 17 Relating History to the Land: Urban Centers, Geographical Units, and Trade Routes in the Gangetic and Central India of circa 200 17 New Perspectives on the Mauryan and Kushana Periods 48 Early Indian Art Reconsidered 68 Numismatics and History: The Maurya-Gupta Interlude in the Gangetic Plain 89 Inscribed Pots, Emerging Identities: The Social Milieu of Trade 144 The Tidal Waves of Indian History: Between the Empires and Beyond 185 Part Two Reading the Past: Texts and History 210 Explorations in the Early History of the Dharmaśāstra 210 Women “Between the Empires” and “Between the Lines” 244 Changing Perspectives in the Sanskrit Grammatical Tradition and the Changing Political Configurations in Ancient India 275 The Nārāyaṇīya and the Early Reading Communities of the Mahābhārata 288 Negotiating the Shape of “Scripture”: New Perspectives on the Development and Growth of the Mahābhārata between the Empires 327 Systematic Philosophy between the Empires: Some Determining Features 364 A Well-Sanitized Shroud: Asceticism and Institutional Values in the Middle Period of Buddhist Monasticism 397 Recent Discoveries of Early Buddhist Manuscripts: And Their Implications for the History of Buddhist Texts and Canons 440 A Non-Imperial Religion?: Jainism in Its “Dark Age” 484 Naming and Social Exclusion: The Outcast and the Outsider 525 Brahmanical Reactions to Foreign Influences and to Social and Religious Change 582 Index 636 Between,the,Empires:,Society,in,India,300,BCE,to,400,CE This Volume Is The Result Of A Conference Organised By The South Asia Institute At The University Of Texas. Its Purpose Was To Bring Together The World's Leading Indologists Representing A Variety Of Disciplines To Discuss And Share Recent Research On A Hitherto Neglected Period Of Indian History. 1. Relating History To The Land : Urban Centers, Geographical Units, And Trade Routes In The Gangetic And Central India Of Circa 200 B.c.e. / Dilip K. Chakrabarti -- 2. New Perspectives On The Mauryan And Kushana Periods / J. Mark Kenoyer -- 3. Early Indian Art Reconsidered / Frederick M. Asher -- 4. Numismatics And History : The Maurya-gupta Interlude In The Gangetic Plain / Shailendra Bhandare -- 5. Inscribed Pots, Emerging Identities : The Social Milieu Of Trade / Himanshu Prabha Ray -- 6. The Tidal Waves Of Indian History : Between The Empires And Beyond / Harry Falk -- 7. Explorations In The Early History Of Dharmasastra / Patrick Olivelle -- 8. Women Between The Empires And Between The Lines / Stephanie W. Jamison. Edited By Patrick Olivelle. Papers Of A Conference Held At The University Of Texas, South Asia Institute. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This volume is the result of an international conference organized by the South Asia Institute at the University of Texas. The purpose of the conference as to bring together the world's leading Indologists representing a variety of disciplines to discuss and share recent research on hitherto neglected period of Indian history.