Connections and complexity : new approaches to the archaeology of South Asia

"This compilation of original research articles highlight the important cross-regional, cross-chronological, and comparative approaches to political and economic landscapes in ancient South Asia and its neighbors. Focusing on the Indus Valley period and Iron Age India, this volume incorporates new research in South Asia within the broader universe of archaeological scholarship. Contributions focus on four major themes: reinterpreting material culture; identifying domains and regional boundaries; articulating complexity; and modeling interregional interaction. These studies develop theoretical models that may be applicable researchers studying cultural complexity elsewhere in the world." -- From the Publisher. Contents 6 List of Illustrations 8 Preface 14 1. Connections and Complexity: New Approaches to the Archaeology of South Asia - Shinu Anna Abraham, Praveena Gullapalli, Teresa P. Raczek, and Uzma Z. Rizvi 16 2. To What Extent Were Prehistoric Sri Lankans Isolated from the Indian Mainland? Biotic and Archaeological Considerations - Kenneth A. R. Kennedy 36 3. Commodities and Things: The Kulli in Context - Rita P. Wright 48 4. New Evidence for Interaction between the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley: Seals and Sealings from Konar Sandal South - Holly Pittman 64 5. The Sindh Archaeological Project: Explorations in the Lower Indus Basin and Western Sindh - Louis Flam 92 6. Iconography of the Indus Unicorn: Origins and Legacy - Jonathan Mark Kenoyer 108 7. Forest Products in a Wider World: Early Historic Connections across Southern India - Kathleen D. Morrison and Mark T. Lycett 128 8. The Substance and Symbolism of Long-distance Exchange: Textiles as Desired Trade Goods in the Bronze Age Middle Asian Interaction Sphere - Monica L. Smith 144 9. Weighty Matters: Evidence for Unity and Regional Diversity from the Indus Civilization Weights - Heather M. -L Miller 162 10. Starch Grain Analysis and Experiments Provide Insights into Harappan Cooking Practices - Arunima Kashyap and Steve Weber 178 11. Red Polished Ware in Gujarat: Surface Collections from Inland Sites - Nancy Pinto-Orton 196 12. Spiraling Interconnectedness: A Fresh Look at Double-spiral-headed Pins in the Indian Subcontinent - Heidi J. Miller 224 13. In Search of Craft and Society: The Glass Beads of Early Historic Tamil South India - Shinu Anna Abraham 240 14. Lamination as Production Technique: Patterns and Possibilities - Praveena Gullapalli 264 15. Bronze Age Pastoralism and Differentiated Landscapes along the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor - Michael Frachetti 280 16. The Ghost of the State in Deep Antiquity: A Closer Look at the Harappan Civilization from the Viewpoint of Sanskrit Literature - Piotr A. Eltsov 300 17. Crafting Communities and Producing Places: Copper, Settlement Patterns, and Social Identity in the Ganeshwar Jodhpura Cultural Complex, Rajasthan, India - Uzma Z. Rizvi 316 18. Technology and Everyday Crafts: Identifying Traces of Shared Histories in the Archaeological Record - Teresa P. Raczek 342 19. Regional Diversity in the Harappan World: The Evidence of the Seals - Marta Ameri 356 20. Monumentality and the Third-millennium “Towers” of the Oman Peninsula - Charlotte Marie Cable and Christopher P. Thornton 376 21. Small-scale Interactions across the North Gujarat Plain - Suzanne Harris 402 Index 422 About the Authors 426 Content: Connections and Complexity : New approaches to the archaeology of South Asia / Shinu Abraham, Praveena Gullapalli, Teresa Raczek, Uzma Rizvi -- To What Extent Were the Prehistoric Sri Lankans Isolated from the Indian Mainland? Biotic and Archaeological Considerations / Kenneth A.R. Kennedy -- Commodities and Things : The Kulli in Context / Rita P. Wright -- New Evidence for Interaction Between The Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley : Seals and Sealings from Konar Sandal South / Holly Pittman -- The Sindh Archaeological Project : Explorations in the Lower Indus Basin and Western Sindh / Louis Flam -- Iconography of the Indus Unicorn : Origins and Legacy / Jonathan Mark Kenoyer -- Forest Products in a Wider World : Early historic connections across southern India / Kathleen D. Morrison and Mark T. Lycett -- The Substance and Symbolism of Long-Distance Exchange : Textiles as Desired Trade Goods in the Bronze Age Middle Asian Interaction Sphere / Monica L. Smith -- Weighty Matters : Evidence for Unity and Regional Diversity from the Indus Civilization Weights / Heather M.-L. Miller -- Starch Grain Analysis and Experiments Provide Insights into Harappan Cooking Practices / Arunima Kashyap and Steve Weber. Red Polished Ware in Gujarat : Surface Collections from Inland Sites / Nancy Pinto-Orton -- Spiraling Interconnectedness : A Fresh Look at Double-Spiral-Headed Pins in the Indian Subcontinent / Heidi J. Miller -- In Search Of Craft and Society : The Glass Beads of Early Historic Tamil South India / Shinu Abraham -- Lamination as Production Technique : Patterns and Possibilities / Praveena Gullapalli -- Bronze Age Pastoralism and Differentiated Landscapes along the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor / Michael Frachetti -- The Ghost of the State in Deep Antiquity : A Closer Look at the Harappan Civilization from the Viewpoint of Sanskrit Literature / Piotr A. Eltsov -- Crafting Communities and Producing Places : Copper, Settlement Patterns, and Social Identity in the Ganeshwar Jodhpura Cultural Complex, Rajasthan, India / Uzma Z. Rizvi -- Technology and Everyday Crafts : Identifying Traces of Shared Histories in the Archaeological Record / Teresa Raczek -- Regional Diversity in the Harappan World : The Evidence of the Seals / Marta Ameri -- Monumentality and the Third Millennium "Towers" of the Oman Peninsula / Charlotte Marie Cable and Christopher P. Thornton -- Small Scale Interactions Across the North Gujarat Plain / Suzanne Harris. The set of case studies presented in this volume emphasize the significance of new research in South Asia within the broader universe of archaeological scholarship.