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The present paper tries to shed light on the recently discovered Gupta period settlements at the village Sindhol, situated on the left bank of the river Mahanadi in the district of Subarnapur, Odisha. Significantly, the present site spreads over a three-kilometre area with evidence of structural remains starting from the hilltop to the bank of the river Mahanadi, which lies in the ancient Mahakantara region of Dakshina Kosala. In the absence of numismatic, epigraphic and other related evidence, the present paper tries to understand the context of Sindhol based on available brick structural remains recovered in and around the present village.

Keywords: Sindhol, Brick structures, Brick robbery, Mahakantara, Asurgarh, and Trade route.

Cultural heritage management is the protection and preservation of heritages which includes both human and natural environments, architectural complexes, archaeological sites, rural heritages and many other things related to the human past. Cultural resource management as a part of heritage management develops and maintains programs designed to investigate the process of site destruction and to preserve and protect them. In Eastern India, many prehistoric sites are under threat due to natural and artificial causes. Two Upper Paleolithic sites of Bantoli and Toyontoli of Gumla and Ranchi districts of Jharkhand state of India are chosen for the present study. The study was done to identify the ways of the destruction of these two sites and to develop some preservation strategies to minimize the destruction of the sites. Both intensive and extensive surveys were done. The nature of the sites, distribution of artefacts and the process of destruction occurring in the two sites were observed. Suitable preservation strategies were then framed based on the types of destruction occurring in the two sites.

Keywords: Cultural Resource, Prehistoric Site, Bantoli, Toyontoli, Jharkhand

In the present study, we have reconstructed the history of the Jalalabad block based on the archaeological findings recovered from this region during a systematic exploration. During this exploration, a total of eight archaeological sites were explored. All these sites are different from the previously reported sites of the region. The analytical and morphological analysis of archaeological remains revealed that these sites belong to the early historical as well as early medieval period.

Keywords: Jalalabad, Archaeological, Exploration, Cultural, Early historical, Early Medieval.

Dwarf carvings identified as Vamana or Bhairava figures are seen in both Indian and Sri Lankan contexts. Most of the artistry and the context of those carvings were appreciated by scholars. A focused, objective anthropometric assessment was not done because of interpreting Vamana figures. In the current study, Vamana carvings from different sites in India and Sri Lanka were examined. Upper body segment to lower body segment ratio was manually calculated in ten Vamana figures carved in standing position with minimal postural obliteration of segmental heights and preserved anatomical details. Specific observable clinical features of achondroplasia were also examined in the Vamana carvings. Calculated upper to lower body segment ratios of the selected Vamana figures were compared with that of achondroplasia and observed anatomical features of Vamana figures were correlated with clinical parameters of interest in achondroplasia. The mean value of the upper segment to lower segment ratios of the selected figures was 2.0. The upper to lower segment ratio of an adult person of average stature is 1.0 but in adults with achondroplasia, the ratio reaches 1.7 at skeletal maturity. Results of the study indicate that the range of upper segment to lower segment ratio of selected Vamana figures is between 1.8-2.27. This range and mean value are above the mentioned ratio for adults with achondroplasia indicating a short lower body segment. The current study’s findings objectively justify that these Vamana figures are artistic representations of adults with achondroplasia, with a slight exaggeration of limb shortness compared to the upper segment to represent the intended population. The Vamana figures examined are an artistic representation of achondroplastic adults during ancient times. Rather than a depiction of hypothetical beings, achondroplastic adults engaged in security or guarding duties and aesthetic activities were retrospectively utilized as a theme to artistically illustrate the concepts of Vamana and Bhairava in literature.

The Present Research Paper is based on the archaeological remains found from different places in Fazilka and Khuiyan Sarwar blocks of the Fazilka district in southwestern Punjab. As the aftereffect of explorations, the author explored nine archaeological sites, all explored sites were discovered from previously explored sites. Based on a preliminary examination of data, it seems that these sites belong to the early medieval and medieval periods. Throughout the article, an effort has been made to reconstruct a comprehensive view of the early medieval and medieval history and archaeology of the Fazilka and Khuiyan Sarwar blocks (Fazilka, Punjab).

Keywords: Fazilka, Archaeological, Exploration, Culture and Early Medieval.

The Himalayan foothills of Garhwal Central Himalayas stand as a testament to the rich tapestry of human history, offering a wealth of archaeological insights waiting to be discovered or explored. The Central Himalayan foothills of Garhwal have frequently served as a significant archaeological potential, where numerous ancient sites have been unearthed from prehistoric to historical periods, proving without a shadow of a doubt. Since ancient times, this region has been the focus of human activity. This paper aims to provide an extensive overview and examine the profound significance of this area which is between from Yamuna River in the Dehradun District and to Khoh River in the Kotdwar, Pauri District from an archaeological perspective. This article will also seek to determine the period to which the archaeological sites discovered thus far in this foothill area pertain and their respective locations. Moreover, it will outline the areas that necessitate future archaeological surveys for a comprehensive understanding of the ancient history and archaeology of this region.

Keywords: foothills, central Himalaya, prehistory, central Himalaya, archaeological potential.

Ancient Tamil Nadu was a home to several industries since the Sangam age. The major crafts practiced by people in ancient Tamilakam included textile, metal working, ship building, shell craft and lapidary. Gems, beads and other products manufactured in the region were important merchandise in trade with the countries on the east across the Bay of Bengal and the Mediterranean World on the west. Rich marine resources of the Coromandel Coast and the Gulf of Mannar provided the raw material for many of such commodities either for the local consumption or for exchange with distant lands. In this context, important archaeological discoveries include shell products of different kinds, especially ornaments, which are also mentioned in the contemporary literary works. They occur in coastal as we as inland sites indicating the presence of dynamic trade network in the region. The industrial activities, nevertheless, accelerated the pace of economic growth leading to urbanisation in early Tamil Nadu.

Keywords: Archaeological; Chank; Coast; Excavation; Industry; Literary; Pearl; Port; Sangam; Shell; Tamil

The temple of Lord Jagannath (the Lord of the Universe) is famous as a Hindu temple the world over and the city of Puri is its abode. Though established today as a Hindu deity, legends has it that it was originally a tribal deity that once resided in the thickly wooded hill and was worshipped by the Saravas, pre -Aryan and pre-Dravidian tribes of the Austric linguistic family. Chodaganga Dev, the illustrious ruler of theGanga dynasty, built the present Jagannath Temple in the twelfth century A.D. Kapilendra Dev, Purusottam Dev and Prataprudra Dev, all rulers of the Surya dynasty, left their distinctive marks on the history, art and culture of Puri. Worship of Lord Jagannath flourished even during the Mughal and Maratha periods. The British occupied Puri in 1803 and soon took over the administration of the temple which was later handed over to a governing body after India became independent. Using folklore as an anthropological tool for research, herein this article an attempt has been made to take into account the narrations of my friends from the field (borrowed from Prof V.K. Srivastava who was critical about the use of the term few key informants) on the origin of Lord Jagannath as a tribal deity. These accounts were recorded during the researcher’s multi-sited fieldwork in Puri, Konark, Berhampur and Bhubaneswar. These narrations have been supplemented with the available records as found in the Bengal and Orissa (Odisha) District Gazetteers. A humble attempt has been made via this article to explore the various myths and legends that revolve around the origin of the worship of Lord Jagannath.