Organizations
Archaeological Survey of India, Asiatic Society, Centre for Heritage Studies, Geological Survey of India, Indian Archaeological Society,New Delhi, The Ancient India and Iran Trust, The Asiatic Society, University Museum, World Association for Vedic Studies
Sites and Monuments
997 A.D. Stone Inscriptions Found in Tamil Nadu, A Monumental Effort, An Extensive Middle Palaeolithic Quarry Landscape , Ancient Indians Made 'Rock Music', Ancient site unearthed in Rajasthan, Ancient Town Flourished in Tripura Village, Archaeologists hit paydirt in Gola Dhora, Ayodhya Excavations Completed, Buddha Site Celebrates U.N. Status, Chalcolithic age objects unearthed in Tamil Nadu
1,000-Year-Old Sculpture Found
From New Inda Press, research team of Kongu Naadu Vellalar Trust has found a 1,000-year-old sculpture at Athanur Amman Temple near Rasipuram, highlighting the importance of trade activities of Tamils.
1,100-year-old Chola Stone Inscription Found
From the Hindu, inscription of the Parantaka Chola period has been discovered at a Siva temple at Ezhuchur, near Padappai, in Sriperumbudur taluk of Kancheepuram District.
1000-year-old, Long Tamil Inscription Found
From the Hindu, a long inscription in Tamil, running to 28 lines and about 1,000 years old, has been discovered at a temple in Ennayiram village, 18 km from Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu.
900-Year-Old Ship Found Beneath Rice Field
From Ananova, a sailing vessel that experts believe sank off the coast of southern India 900 years ago has been found buried in a rice field.
A Puzzling Wreck
From Archaeology, India's first ancient shipwreck, discovered recently in the coastal town of Kadakkarapally, has archaeologists stumped.
A Unique Memorial to a Learned Lady
Recent discovery of a stone portrait of a woman scholar of the 10th century.
Archaeobotanical and Settlement Survey, South Indi
Fieldwork has involved Reinvestigation of known archaeological sites through test excavations together with Professor Ravi Korisettar of Karnatak University and Dr. P. C. Venkatasubbaiah.
Archaeobotany of Early Historic sites in Southern
Sites sampled included two that were under excavation by the Tamil State Government Department of Archaeology and one which Dr. Rajan has had excavations on in the past.
Archaeobotany of the Vindhyan Neolithic, Gangetic
This study, in collaboration with Professor J. N. Pal hopes to assess the evidence for early rice cultivation, as well as other crops, from the Mesolithic to Neolithic archaeological sequence provided by the sites of Chopani-Mando, Koldihwa and Mahagara.
Archaeology in the Third World
Review by D. P. Agrawal of Dilip K. Chakrabarti's 2003 volume.
Archaic Indian Punch Marked Coins
An article by Shailendra Bhandare on approaches to the classification of Archaic Indian punch marked coins.
Artifacts or Geofacts?
An alternative explanation of alleged artifacts from the Gulf of Cambay, western India.
Asoka Statues Unearthed in India
An article from the BBC reporting the discovery of two statues of King Asoka.
Bhimbetka [Archaeological Site in India]
Features an illustrated article about mesolithic artists who loved to paint animals.
Buddhist Archaeological Sites
A survey of Buddhist archaeological sites with links to photographs of surviving stupas and museum sculpture collections.
Concern Over Distortions
An article in Frontline reporting that participants at the Kolkata session of the Indian History Congress express concern over attempts to distort history in school textbooks and thus subvert secular education.
Excavations to Resolve Temple Row
From Guardian Unlimited, a court in India ordered archaeologists to excavate the site of the demolished Ayodhya mosque to determine whether a Hindu temple ever existed there.
Government to Dig up the Path of the Mythical Sara
From New India Press, Indian government has decided to take up excavation along the entire stretch of what was once the route of the long dried Saraswati river from Haryana to Gujarat.
Gupta Era Statue Found in Patna
From the Times of India reporting that a statue belonging to the Gupta period was unearthed while digging for construction of a temple near Rani Ghat on the outskirts of Patna district.
Hindutva and History
An editorial article in Frontline discussing history as projected by Hindutva ideologues, which is being introduced to children through textbooks and is being imposed upon research institutes.
Historical Sites in Gujrat Crumbling
From Daily Times, historical sites in Gujrat are crumbling and the district government has made no arrangements to preserve and protect the rich heritage for future generations.
India and Southern Asia Chronology
Articles and images.
Indian 'Jews' resist DNA tests to prove
From the Telegraph, members of a remote community of Indians who claim to be descendants of one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel are resisting plans to carry out genetic tests to prove their Jewishness.
Indian Archaeologists Find British Shipwreck
From Ananova, archaeologists in India have discovered the wreck of a 200-year-old British ship.
Kadakkarappally Excavations 2003
A brief report on the excavation of a sailboat at Kadakkarappally, Alapuzha dit, Kerala.
Man and Man-Lion: the Philadelphia Narasimha
Article by Dr. Michael W. Meister discussing a red sandstone attached sculpture of Narasimha (Vishnu as the Man-Lion or Killer of Demons).
Megalithic Pochampad: The Skeletal Biology and Arc
Asian Perspectives 41(1). Human skeletal remains from a burial site in southern India excavated in the 1960s by the Department of Archaeology and Museums of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, have been analyzed. (PDF)
Monk Mummy Found in Mountains
From phayul, a mummy of a Tibetan Buddhist monk, believed to be about 500 years old, has been found in India's northern Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh
Mystery of Delhi's Iron Pillar Unraveled
Metallurgists at Kanpur IIT have discovered that a thin layer of misawite, a compound of iron, oxygen and hydrogen, has protected the 1,600-year-old cast iron pillar from rust.
Orality to literacy: Transition in Early Tamil So
Brahmi script reached Upper South India and the Tamil country at about the same time during the 3rd century B.C.E. in the wake of the southern spread of Jainism and Buddhism.
Peopling of India
An article discussing research into mDNA base sequences, combined with archaeological and linguistic data as applied to the question of the peopling of India.
Prehistoric Rock Paintings in India
Examples of cave art dating back over 20,000 years.
Queen?s Remains Are Still Elusive
From the Deccan Herald, Archaeological Survey of India?s 20-year search for the relics of Queen Ketevan in Old Goa has ended in disappointment; but the excavations offer an intriguing and significant insight into 16th century Goa.
Ritual and Presentation in Early Buddhist Religiou
Asian Perspectives 43(1). The physical organization and layout of Buddhist reliquary mounds, stupas, provides a window into the forms of ritual practiced by Buddhists in the first few centuries B.C. through the end of the second century A.D. (PDF)
Ropar, India
Article by Upinder Singh describes the history of this site inhabited from about 2100 B.C. to 1700 A.D. and finds made in excavations.
Sangam
Sangam is a site devoted, but not limited to, the study of pre-historic and stone age of India. It has the Table of Contents of Man and Environment.
Saraswati Project May be Buried
From the Times of India, a pet project of the then culture minister Jagmohan, officials now indicate that it would be certainly axed.
Sea Trade Between Romans and India Rivaled Silk Ro
From Deseret News, on how spices, gems and other exotic cargo excavated from an ancient port on Egypt's Red Sea show that the sea trade between the Roman Empire and India was more extensive than previously thought.
Search for Lost River Throws Up 300 AD Site in Har
Extensive excavation in the last seven months at Adi Badri site, 40 km north of the Yamunanagar district in Haryana, has yielded a 300 AD Kushan site, and speculation that this may be the spot where the river had originated.
Social Life in Medieval Deccan : Status of Women
Status of Women in 14th Century South India.
Sphinx of India
The recent discovery of the sphinx in the art and tradition of India shines a new light on our understanding of India in the history of civilization.
Temple and Village: Patterns and Prints of India
A special exhibition at the Frank H. McClung Museum in 1998. Includes a short description of textiles in ancient India.
The Bellary District Archaeology Projet
Investigating Neolithic and Iron Age South India. Images, links, descussion, and contact information.
The Origins of Iron-working in India
Recent excavations in Uttar Pradesh have turned up iron artefacts, furnaces, tuyeres and slag in layers radiocarbon dated between c. BCE 1800 and 1000.
The Tell-tale Pallava Stamp
From the Hindu, a newly revealed Tamil inscription confirms the origins of an unearthed Mamallapuram temple.
Unprotected, Prehistoric Rock Art Withering Away
From the Times of India, the 12 prehistoric rock paintings found scattered along state's eastern tribal belt are perhaps the only indicators that man also inhabited Gujarat in the Mesolithic period
Urban Settlement Unearthed by Archaeologists in Ca
From Radio Australia News, remains of an urban settlement dating to the second century BCE have been unearthed on the outskirts of Calcutta.
Visvarupa
Treats the beginning of Brahmanical figures in Northern India which are seen as visual images of cosmogonic theory. Their anthropomorphic figures are emanatory, issuing from a central figure and represent, not a group of figures, but a process of cosmic becoming in its continuity. Form 'multiple icons' as phases of the process of creation, and is shown as an ongoing, uninterrupted whole.
Wreck of British Merchant Ship Found
From Ananova, Indian navy divers have discovered the wreck of a late 18th-century British merchant ship on a coral reef off India's southern coast.